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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If you're not that now, you will not magically become that person at 80. [/quote]

This is true regarding some things: energy, optimism, general approach to life (do you try new things? try to figure things out instead of living in ignorance? make an effort to be social?)

But there also can be a sort of "magic" that can transform a person in the eyes of others, because of the way we view people differently at different ages.

The 80 yr old with the colorful clothes and great attitude and "zest for life" that you admire might have been someone you'd find annoying, pitiable, or out of touch in younger iterations. A 30 year old who wears colorful clothes, is very optimistic, and is always trying new things, might get criticized for being "too much," not dressing fashionably enough, or being naive instead of savvy. She might face pressure to make her appearance more conformist, instead of wearing what she likes, to talk less, to narrow down her interests and be more serious about work. A 50 year old who behaves this way might be seen as "kooky" and unsophisticated.

But after 70, our cultural attitude towards people reverts back to how we see people as children -- we tend to be more accepting of their idiosyncrasies, more enthusiastic about them having energy and large personalities. We don't measure them by the sometimes strict expectations for what an adult at mid-life is supposed to be (expectations that can be especially limiting for women).

So I actually think a person could be magically transformed into this sort of woman in her golden years, not because she's changed, but because people are more willing to embrace her large personality at that age than they might have been when she was younger. It's like the reward to holding onto your individuality, self-regard, and love of life, after decades of being told to be quiet and conform, and having your optimism challenged at ever turn by people who would prefer that you expect very little of life.[/quote]

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