What is impressive about the u-bend’s upside in later life is that it happens despite the many ageist messages in our culture and media. Wouldn’t life feel even nicer if we could learn to appreciate what there might be to look forward to, at all ages? Wouldn’t it feel better to break out of our age “silos” and realize we’re all living on the same continuum of time?

Just a few days after my exchange with Max, Jimmie and I celebrated her 84th birthday. She commented to me about how fascinating it was that younger people were so afraid of aging.

“But, Jimmie,” I corrected her, “it’s not just younger people. People my age are afraid of aging, too.”

She let out a big laugh. “You don’t get it, Mindy, you are younger people!”

I thought of Dr. Bolgar, who had continued to see patients until her own death at age 103. Most of her patients were around Jimmie’s age, or, as Dr. Bolgar referred to them, the younger generation.