Growing old is part of being a living thing. Every plant and animal must go through a cycle of life that involves a beginning, a middle, and an end. Actually, as soon as we are born we begin aging or growing older. But when we talk of growing old we think of the physical changes that occur when bodies cannot grow and repair themselves as they once did. At about age 30 the signs of aging start to appear, though for most people the physical changes aren’t really obvious until many years later.
As people age, skin may begin to sag and wrinkle, and hair may turn thin or gray. Over time muscles become less strong and flexible, and bones may become more brittle and breakable. Blood may not flow through the body as well as it once did, which slows the activity of the brain and the senses. The immune system becomes weaker and does not fight off sickness as well as before. People experience these changes at different ages, but all will grow old as they near the end of their life cycle. It may seem sad that a person has grown old and cannot do all the things they once did, but try to look at it this way: When people grow old, that means they have been lucky enough to avoid things like accidents and diseases that could have cut their lives short. And better yet, regardless of the physical changes of old age, many people remain healthy and lead full and happy lives.
