I consider myself a sage, if only because of my age, and I find that many younger people see "older" as stiff in the body and a hard heart with a wandering mind. Just for the record (and as it applies to me - for I don't like to presume that my truth or my reality is theirs) sages don't generally find this to be true. "Our minds begin to see the oneness of all things, our bodies become more supple and flexible and our hearts soften in love" (William Martin in The Sages Tao Te Ching) I train my mind through meditation and reading as well as mental exercises that are challenging and force me to solve problems and think clearly. I horseback ride, I hike and bicycle, I garden, I play with my dogs and grandchildren. As for my heart....I listen, accept and forgive, both to myself and others. Peace is in my heart and makes it a soft and loving place. I allow myself to feel and am working at not judging myself. I do the hard work of seeking ever deeper answers that I didn't have time to do as a young mother and wife. a job which I judge myself pretty harshly for not doing as well as I wish I had. But those days are long gone and I can be in the moment much more frequently and see much more clearly before making choices.