The power in aging well
Neurologist Daniel Levitin opens his latest book with a quote from a Dylan Thomas poem:
“Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day.”
Levitin notes that as a younger man, he found those words pointless and saw aging as a failing of the body, mind and spirit. But that’s changed as he grows older himself and sees the way his parents make decisions, work through challenges and approach each day as a new opportunity.
“We need not stumble, stooped and passive, into that good night,” Levitin writes. “We can live it up.”
MPR News host Kerri Miller spoke with Levitin about his latest book, “Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives;” what science shows us about aging well; and what to do to prepare to age well in a culture fascinated by youth and looking and feeling young.
Guest:
Daniel J. Levitin is a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist and the author of several books. His latest is “Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives.”
To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.
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