Positive Aging

In my book Pathfinding I write, The whole subject of positive aging has been a passion of mine. In my thirties read a book about the Hunzas, who have one of the longest centenarian success rates. They live at very high altitudes, eat the food they grow off the land, and walk many miles a day. How we can extend our years of life and at the same time maintain our quality of life has always fascinated me.

 Several years ago, I produced “Positive Aging in North Carolina,” a documentary for the North Carolina Division of Aging, which aired on UNC-TV their PBS affiliate.

 One of the people I featured in that documentary was Harley Potter. At that time, he was a 102-year-old golfer who had won gold medals at local, state and national tournaments. His 73- year-old daughter, Leta Duffin drove him to our on-location shoot and rode in the golf cart with him. Harley’s only major impairment was the 25 percent hearing he had left in one ear, so we would direct the questions to that ear. This man was as happy as he could be as long as he had a golf club in his hand. Harley said, “you are never to old to learn to play golf. I started when I was 92, and I never had a lesson.”

 On his golf game, Harley said, “My handicap was 44 when I started, but now it’s down to 37. The last game I played, my score was 100.” I asked Harley his secret to long life. He said, “I don’t worry. Yesterday is gone and there is nothing you can do about it today. I look forward to today and beyond that, I keep going. I watch my health. I’ve never smoked. I eat three meals a day, but never eat too much and I exercise.

I asked Leta what her father taught her. She said, “He taught me not to worry about tomorrow or about the past. Daddy didn’t teach me by telling me. He taught me by living it.” Harley died peacefully  at 106 after being in a nursing home for two years. 

For me, positive aging follows positive living. Quality of life is not dependent upon age. It’s dependent upon how we live each day of our lives. I like to compare aging to fine wine that matures and improves with age. That’s one of my life goals.