In my job I have the privilege of looking after some octagenarians and nonagenerians. They are my favourites. They seem to understand the meaning of hardship and are most grateful for the time and services they receive. I find the majority of them very gracious.

While browsing through a magazine I came across an article on Diana Armfield, an artist. She is 95 years old and I read with interest the lessons she has learnt from her rich and accomplished life.

Here I quote a few of them that resonated with me:

1. Money isn’t as important as you think. Try to have enough but don’t set out to have lots because there is just no need. Enough is ‘enough’.
2. Look after yourself. It’s important whatever your age. I do the exercises I am told to but it’s not easy – it’s so boring!
3. Don’t question happiness when you find it. Pursue the things that interest you and take time to get to know yourself.
4. Not everything needs to be ‘perfect’ in life. Anxiety has been a big problem for me. I’ve always panicked that unless I put 110% into things, they won’t work out. I used to worry constantly about ‘getting it right’ and it’s only now that I’m older I’ve realized things naturally tend to work out for the best. If you’re a worrier like me, it’s imperative to communicate your anxieties to your friends and family – they can almost always help.
5. Make the most of everyday. Growing old is annoying because you need to ‘rest’ throughout the day. It means the day isn’t long enough to do all you want to do – so make the most of the uninterrupted days of youth while you can.

Now I think I need to get some ‘rest’. 😉