Growing Old

Today, I am older than I have ever been.

Tomorrow is likely to produce the same.

The Wolf

You’re older than you’ve ever been

and NOW you’re even older

and NOW you’re even older…

“Every day, expect that day to be your last. And act accordingly. Do teshuva. So say the Seforim HaKedoshim.”

The alter of Slabodka said that before 30, one should not contemplate death, etc, bec it subdues the natural youthful exuberanc that younger people have. AS far as teshuva for preparation for your death, there is an axiom in halacha that someone who is aliva and well has a chazaka that he will live for at least one year more – so if he goes missing and we don’t know where (excluding, for example, if he was captured by terrorists who have the annoying habit of beheading captives on live video) or why or other details. Therefore, it is brought down in seforim that mitzvos which we do only once a year, one should be extra machmir for bec there is no chazaka that he’ll be around next time, and there is a big inyan mystically which we hold of that the last time of any mitzvah is in many ways the most significant and definitely has the most potential power. However, to do teshuva every day as if expecting imminent death for us bazman hazeh is probably wrong bec after the first few times it becomes rote and insincere, and if chas veshalom the real time of imminent death rolls around, it will be much harder to say it sincerely. And stam, insincere vidui is itelf a sin, and we even say an al chait for it on yom kippur.

Sam2: ill get back to you after y”t hopefully iy”H. But it’s pashut that it’s true. I heard this many times from my Rosh HaYeshiva

Dear OP,in the first sentence of your query you asked for a stage in life as opposed to specific age.

re stage in life:

I do think men and women somewhere bet40-45 start to be viewed by themselves and others as getting older.I think a reality starts to sink in more between 45-55 as a result of life experiences.(A stark example at this stage is having to take more care of your own parents, or to a lesser extent a doctor reminding you that you cannot eat all the things you used to enjoy).

Re being a senior: Once you are zoche to be healthy and past 70, it is all a matter of Mazel, and Davening to Hashem to sustain your mental and physical Koach as long as possible. Staying active, a caring family,positive mindset and remembering that age is just a number(just because you are numerically a senior doesn’t mean you always have to act like one) are all key. You can have a 85 year old doing better then a 70 year old if they are able to stay active and maintain positive outlooks on their station in life.

Re scary: Aside from the fear of infirmities that can come with old age, each new stage of life while many times happy, is scary for anyone concerned about accomplishing what they were supposed to. Whether it be while in yeshiva, college, career, or relationships… there are certain things you set to accomplish in all stages and areas of life.

While Boruch Hashem, we know Hashem judges favorably and with Rachmonus no matter what, people tend to be harsher on themselves for what they could have or should have done.The fear of time passing and rectifying faults REAL OR PERCEIVED is inevitable for any senior. As a senior you have a magnified fear of perhaps not using your G-d given tools to their greatest extent and worst of all, mistakes made or regrets over things that you could have done differently. It is important to remind yourself at these times what Boruch Hashem you did accomplish.

May Hashem guide us through all our stages of life, that we should be able to accomplish and do what is right and be a person Sameach Bichelko.

moche timche may Hashem bless you with a long healthy life. Obviously you have to daven for success at any age however you need special Zechusim as a senior.

In fact we plead especially to Hashem for this on Rosh hashana yom kippur and all selichos days, when we say Altashlichenu liays Zikna kichlos kochainu al tazvenu it is an acknowledgement of a special Rachamim needed when you get older. If it was just tefilos then kabel birichamim uvratzon in the first verse of shema koleinu would suffice we single this out along with the other special requests.Aside from tefillos in tehillim and throughout tanach we find instances of need of special Rachamim when we get older. Simchas

and NOW you’re older STILL

DUM DUMMMM

today im the oldest ive ever been, and the youngest ill ever be again.

its scary.

but ive heard that old people have something in their brains that make them accept death. because, like someone once told me, no one wants to live forever.

If you are scared of getting old do something meaningful with your life.

Just dropping a hello to squeak.

Joseph, are you really Sushi and Patri?