For many years, society has said don’t trust anyone over 30. And even though those over thirty make up the largest segment of the population, the advertising media seems to eschew this significant baby boomer crowd. The senior population has historically been shoved aside and told “It’s all downhill now, baby! You’ve lived your best life, had the most fun, amassed your greatest wealth, enjoyed the most rewards life has to offer and had the best sex you’ll ever experience.” However, this is changing and advertisers are seeing the potential with the older crowd. More and more we hear comments like, “Sixty is the new 40 and 80 is the new 50.”
If I ever doubted at 65 the best is yet to come, all I have
to do is think about Louise Hay. This metaphysical teacher and motivational
author is currently 86 years old. She was born into a poor
and abusive family and ran away from home at 14. She dropped out of school and
married at 15 and was pregnant at 16; she gave the baby up at its birth
whereupon her husband left her for another woman. In the late 1970’s, she found she had cervical cancer but
refused conventional medical treatment and began a regime of forgiveness,
coupled with therapy, nutrition, and reflexology. She claimed in an interview
that she rid herself of the cancer by this regime. While many would have
boohoo’d that the best was nowhere in sight either then or in their future, she
saw the positive and turned things around. She studied the New Thought works of authors and spiritual teachers including
Ernest Holmes, who taught that positive thinking could heal the body.
Louise Hay has, among many other things, written 27+ books
on affirmations and the power of positive thinking to heal anything that needs
healing, mind or body. In 1984 she established the Hay House Publishing firm
and has worked with the likes of Deepak Chopra, Ester and Jerry Hicks, Oprah
Winfrey and Wayne Dyer. Her bestseller, Heal Your Body, has sold more than 35 million copies around the world
in over 30 languages. She loves to sing, dance, paint and sculpt, endeavors she
didn’t even start until well into her 70’s. She is a true representation that
the best is ALWAYS yet to come. There are many other celebrities like Louise in
the news every day.
While it’s nice
to see well-known people who remind us that life can always be very fun and
rewarding, I find it particularly heartening to personally know some seniors
who epitomize the positive attitude that attracts more of the same, regardless
of age. My friend Barbara was one of those people.
