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Life After 60: The Joy We Never Saw Coming
How our brains adapt to life’s curveballs
Aging begins the moment we’re born and takes us on a journey. As kids, we couldn’t wait to be teenagers. As teenagers, we were eager to become young adults. Then before we knew it we were in the final and least desirable stage – old age.
Old age screams ‘loss’ – loss of looks, loss of abilities, and loss of independence.
But what if old age isn’t what we fear? What if it comes with unexpected gifts?
Gerry, my childhood friend, got me thinking: how can people still find happiness after a major life-changing event? His journey challenged my assumptions about aging in ways I never expected. This is his tragic but inspiring story.
Gerry’s story: Finding contentment in the unthinkable
Gerry was an active bachelor, a talented artist, and an inspiring secondary school teacher. Life was good – he was in his prime. Then, everything changed.
What should have been a routine recovery from minor surgery turned into a life-altering event.
At home, recovering – or so everyone thought – Gerry’s sister stopped by with his favorite muffins. What confronted her is still etched in her mind: Gerry sprawled on…
