On the eve of his 75th birthday, Sir Winston Churchill proclaimed, "I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter." It was with this fearless approach that Churchill lived, worked and died. It was also with great faith in the mysterious that Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa kept giving her all, despite the fact she was reaching 80 years old. Growing old can actually be a rewarding experience, and preparing to die can be a great event.So why are many Americans' perceptions of aging and dying constricted by false myths and unnecessary fears? America itself is a relatively young country is based on puritan values, and for the past 300 years our fears and anxieties of certain mysteries have been escalating. It's not so much about courage or a specific religion as it is about learning to accept - and maybe even enjoy - the natural process of things. It shouldn't be too depressing to know you are born, you get old and then you die - after all, what's more universal and human than aging and death? And, Anne Rice fans aside, who really wants to hear a story about someone who never changes or dies?It doesn't take much to look around and realize we are a youth-obsessed culture. We are constantly encountering messages telling us youth is better to look at, listen to and live in; and old age is unattractive, frightening and lonely. Even horror movies mock the fact that as a culture we are irrationally afraid of old age and sudden death. These messages can be damaging, especially if they are serving to constantly distract you from the fact that you are physically and mentally going to age and die.While there is much to appreciate about youth, overlooking the benefits of aging and the elderly is an unfortunate mistake. To begin with, the elderly have much more knowledge than the young. They may not know what an iPod is or how to use a cell phone, but I guarantee you they have more experience and wisdom than the average college student. Also, since all young people will someday be old - at least that should be the plan - it might be beneficial to find out what to expect.In most cultures to be old is an honor and privilege; it's often looked upon as something natural, progressive and beautiful. Americans, however, seem to view old people as being senile or crazy. Often they get ignored or treated like burdens. Young people especially should be mindful of this and consider how they want to be treated when they get old.The obsession with beauty causes a lot of unnecessary fear about aging - the simple fact is, the human body will change and become old, no matter how much time and money you put into it.Luckily, ideas of beauty are not universal or definite - in fact, there are some cultures that depict the aging face and body as alluring and attractive symbols.Death is also a universal inevitable, which is why I find it strange that many Americans feel so uncomfortable discussing it. Talking about dying should come naturally and doesn't have to be depressing or scary. Death is dealt with by all religions and cultures, and having someone close to you die should never feel embarrassing or inconvenient.Somewhere in our minds we all know that aging and death are as much a part of life as the news and weather - we just seem to avoid discussing them in any real detail. I can't help but get the feeling that continuing to treat these issues as taboo or unappealing will only serve to deteriorate the values of our culture.And while we won't all live to be as old and wise as Churchill or Mother Teresa, or even our grandparents, we can all certainly learn a lot from their experiences.
July Lam is a senior journalism major and writes 'Stick That In Your Pipe and Smoke It' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.
Write to July at jrlam@bsu.edu.
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