“Everyone is the age of their heart.”
– Guatemalan Proverb
This is probably true. Or maybe I just hope it is. I’ve seen a lot of evidence that it might be true. I’ve seen old hearts in young bodies and young hearts in old bodies. Personally, I prefer the young heart in any body, especially my own.
A young heart keeps us curious, playful, interested, and even hopeful. While we can’t do much about time leaving its mark on the rest of us, I believe we have some influence over how our hearts age. We can choose to play, laugh, stay curious, and dream. We can walk fondly through our memories and feel them again. In doing so, we return to our youth, thereby remaining youthful.
We are what we think about and feel about. Holding onto whatever keeps us truly alive in the most important ways is the only path worth taking. This way, we can carry a young heart with us through all our days. I like this idea.
On my way home from work today, I stopped for gas and Christmas lights. The hardware store was close to the gas station, so it wasn’t much of a stretch—just the way I like it. Once home, I slipped on my slippers and started stringing a modest, but festive, couple of strands of lights. I’m glad I did.
My living room feels cozy now. It’s not over-the-top, but it’s pleasant. And it makes me feel pleasant, too. When my daughter stopped by earlier to drop off her dog, she was happy with it as well. This simple effort changed the atmosphere. It made my house feel right, and maybe even kept my heart young.
With a little attention and intention, we can connect with the child inside us and get closer to the truth it holds. And that is a wonderful thing.
Photo credit: Robin Malmanger
Dave Markwell is a life-long Des Moines liver and lover. Former owner of Waterland CrossFit and the Waterland Arcade, Dave uses his unique story-telling voice to help small businesses tell a better story, and his love for people to help folks live bigger and better lives.
For more info, check out his website: wordsbydave.net.
