A new study suggests that as we get older, we increasingly think of the world as generally good, and those of us who do are happier.

The study, published earlier this year in the journal Psychology and Aging, examined roughly 2,000 people over a two-year period. Researchers Michael Poulin at the University of Michigan and Roxane Silver at UC Irvine gave participants several surveys that asked them about their well-being, how religious they were, and whether they thought the world and human nature were basically good.

Contrary to popular belief, older people are happier than the youthful, more attractive citizens of this world.

Being old causes several problems: life’s security, health, finances, and the the thought of death causes many to panic.

But this doesn’t stop the elders from being merrier. Problems may be big but the experience of seeing their kids grow up, marry, have children and the thought of eventually settling on their own is more exciting. In a survey conducted in people ages 21 to 60 by the researchers from the University of California - Berkeley, they found out that over time, adults seem to accept life in a positive way and in turn makes then ripe to a very sweet fruit.

But aging is not a cure for unhappiness “the least agreeable 20-year old may still disagree by 40 but he’ll be better than when he was at 20.” Said by the study’s author, Sarjay Srivastavastand.

Source: Reader’s Digest Asis, September 2007

This May 20, Florence Hasegawa will celebrate her birthday. But it will not be any kind of birthday as she will be celebrating her 100th.Unlike any other centenarian, Mrs. Hasegawa is full of energy. She always laughs, tells funny anecdotes and always smiles.

Her day starts by doing aerobics before getting off the bed. After this, she will take an half-hour walk twice a week. At home, she reads the newspapers and health magazines. In fact, she is is a diligent follower of the latest advances in health technology as she was a former practical nurse in the local hospital.

She is also proud to say she does not take any drugs or medications as she seldom gets sick. “I take doctor’s prescriptions only when I’m sick,” she said.

Almost everyone in her hometown of Lahaina, Maui know her as the person with a cheery disposition who brings good luck to couples planning to get married. This is so as she has been working in the State Health

Department as a marriage license issuer for 70 years already. Could she be the oldest employee in the world?

Currently, she is an active committee member of their local senior citizen’s club and the lead soprano in their methodist church choir.

Source: www.mauiweekly.com

Here is a charming article we found from a Philippine News report:

Estrella Clamar turned 100 years last May 3, despite her age, she can still cook, do gardening and go to the market; all by herself.What made her stay that long?

She answers that she always put labor into practice. “If you don’t work, your blood will not properly circulate throughout your body, making you feel weak,” she said.

Her 60-year old daughter Lilia Camral is telling her mother to stop working because of her old age, but her mother just continues to do so because that is what makes her happy!

This native from Iloilo City in the Philippines said that she is still alive because she simply loves to be happy. She said that worrying about problems in a big no-no. “There’s no use in wallowing in our daily problems, as long as there’s joy… dance! I’m a good dancer you know,” she said, laughing.

Source: www.abs-cbn.com

Ironic it may seem but our grandparents are happier than youngsters like us. This is according to a study conducted for more than 30 years by the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center.

From 1972 to 2004, the researchers annually interview 1,500 to 3,000 people asking them questions answerable by very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy. They found 33 percent of Americans being very happy at age 88, vs. 24 percent of those age 18 to their early 20s. While women are happier than men and white people are happier than black people. Interestingly, more than half of the people over 80 said they were happy.

“With age comes happiness. That is, overall levels of happiness increase with age, net of other factors,” University of Chicago sociologist Yang Yang said “People tended to be happier during economic good times,”Yang said. “But those born into the crowded and competitive ‘Baby Boom’ generation from 1946 to 1964 were the least happy - probably because some did not get what they wanted out of life,” he said.

“A man’s age is something impressive, it sums up his life: maturity reached slowly and against many obstacles, illnesses cured, griefs and despairs overcome, and unconscious risks taken; maturity formed through so many desires, hopes, regrets, forgotten things, loves. A man’s age represents a fine cargo of experiences and memories.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wartime Writings 1939-1944.

Source: www.reuters.com

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