Courtesy of JewishSacredAging.com

Happy 2011, everyone!

As of the First of January, one person will turn 65 every eight seconds; or so the census contends.

No more "thinking" about the boomers aging. No more wondering what it will be like when entitlements are stressed. That period has officially begun. Welcome to our "brave" new world.

I have a feeling that this demographic reality will not be embraced with banner headlines or momentous speeches. Rather, it will just "be". Like many major changes, the truth of what is happening will emerge slowly. Actually, the baby boomer aging phenomenon has been quietly growing in recent years. The facts of the January 1st date just seem to cement that reality.

So much is changing around us: work, retirement, finances and the ever present challenges of grand-parenting and care-giving. There are lots of stresses, of that we are sure.

And yet, there are so many opportunities! Many of us, despite the economic challenges, face the dawn of 2011 with so much to look forward to. Family and friends and, perhaps, accumulated wisdom as to the real priorities of life.

I, for one, will shed no tears as 2010 ends. It has not been a good year. It has been a year that saw my mom go from independent living to skilled nursing. It has been a year that has seen the death of close friends, including my closest and dearest friend, Jake.

It has been a year that saw the organization I work for continue its "re-structuring", sacrificing much of what had been its trademark sense of community. So, I will shed no tears for the end of 2010.

Yet, through all of this transition and change, traditional values have remained and even been strengthened. Nothing replaces the joy and warmth of being with friends and family. Relationships remain the key element in enhancing our lives. We yearn for them when they are gone and too often, we take them for granted when they are present.

Of course, imbedded in all of this is the reality of our own aging and, despite our attempts to repress it, the reality of our own mortality. Just look in the mirror for a not-so-friendly reminder that time is passing and we are not in control.

So, as this New Year dawns, I pray that we all come to grasp the power and importance of the relationships we have. These are the things that give our lives texture and meaning. Celebrate them.

Have a sweet and healthy New Year.