A familiar face smiles at me during my evening walks. I smile back, but my mind struggles to place him. Is he the grocery store clerk, someone from the local bus, or am I simply mistaken? The effort to recall our meeting feels futile. This isn’t an isolated incident. I recently encountered a familiar person at a social gathering. He greeted me warmly, calling out my name. Caught off guard, I responded politely, but a flicker of doubt lingered. As the conversation unfolded, he alluded to a shared experience, assuming my recollection. Yet, my mind drew a blank. Awkwardly, I blinked, desperately trying to grasp any semblance of recognition. Finally, he asked, “Do you remember me or not?” My heart sank. The truth, undeniable, was that I had forgotten him. I stammered, attempting to save face, but my awkwardness betrayed my forgetfulness. Approaching 60, I’m aware, like many of my age, of the natural changes in my brain. Cognitive decline, struggles with memory, particularly with faces and events, are realities we face. I sometimes find myself grasping for words during conversations or staring blankly at a familiar face, unable to recall their name. Perhaps my discomfort with ageing fuels this pretense, making it difficult for me to apologize for my memory lapses. Eleanor Roosevelt’s words, “Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art,” resonate deeply. True beauty lies in being authentic, embracing who we are at each stage of life. I am no longer an accident of nature; I must embrace authenticity. This means freeing myself from the belief that ageing is a weakness. Authenticity is about liberation from external pressures and conformity to societal ideals. Taming the ego and accepting reality are essential steps in this process. Eleanor’s quote suggests that graceful ageing involves accepting limitations and not clinging to a past version of ourselves. So when I encounter a familiar smiling face, I smile back without inhibition or remorse. Where we met is inconsequential; what matters is this moment. As for the nagging query, “Do you remember me?”, my response will be, “I’m sorry, it’s been a while. Could you help me out?” Accepting the realities of ageing is not a sign of weakness but a path towards authentic living. It’s about acknowledging our limitations and finding joy in the present moment.
