Article April 4, 2011 Issue

Vibrancy has no age

By Jack Hubbell

Life is eternal. We should find this out, and begin the demonstration thereof. Life and goodness are immortal. Let us then shape our views of existence into loveliness, freshness, and continuity, rather than into age and blight.

—Mary Baker Eddy, 
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 246

In these times of aggressive ad campaigns for cosmetic surgery, Botox treatments, and “age-defying” products, it can be hard to resist the push to define ourselves based on how youthful we look and feel. Of course, we all admire someone who is vibrant and expresses enthusiasm, but when we fall into the trap of relating these qualities to youth, it’s all too easy to think that when someone reaches what is called old age, this inevitably means a loss of vitality. We may find ourselves thinking we can’t do what we used to do, and our quality of life deteriorates along with our bodies.