OLD AGE: inevitable outcome of anyone who lives long enough, degenerated appearance, slowed functioning, increased isolation, sees the rest of the world & one’s small place in it, studying others, looks outward, negates the pain of self in favor of helping others.
REALIZATION MOMENT: Learns of universal, shared patterns of aging as displayed by the body, wasting away, realizes intention can shape the body, sees patterns in one’s own life & realizes the ability to change them, realization of time horizon--terror in the face of death vs. reaching out to others & seeing one’s identity is not solitary. Increased appreciation for others, for specifics, for small things. (remember the last scene of Paris is Burning?)
Isolation & viewing others as general things to use, destructive patterns---->Physical aging, personal realizations of action/consequence--->Realized ability to control the present & future.
What if we, as _________ “were always there?”
