Knight
Our typical morning routine involves reading. We start with some scripture in book form and then move on to news updates on the computer. Reading in book form tends to keeps me focused and on topic. Computer reading, on the other hand, often makes it tempting to go off track, go down one rabbit hole after another.
The other morning, I had finished the latest online updates on the mostly negative stuff: the problems, troubles, acts of cruelty and examples of selfishness that eternally plague our world. When that was over, I began clicking and swiping the screen randomly watching where my attention settled. My eyes stopped at a headline declaring “Old folks happier and kinder thanks to an abundance of ‘love hormone.’”
“This might be some good news,” this particular Old Folk was thinking.
In this article Dr. Paul J. Zak of Claremont Graduate University in California claims his research shows seniors are kinder than younger generations thanks to the neuropeptide oxytocin, a hormone which increases as we age. (Note: Not to be confused with Oxycontin, a powerful and much misused drug.) He says his research shows that “on average, people are more caring as they get older.” Those participants in the study who released the most oxytocin were more generous to charities, performed many other helping behaviors and generated more empathy, religious participation and gratitude — behaviors which are positively associated with life satisfaction.
I continued down the oxytocin rabbit hole. Several studies over many years have shown a link between this chemical and, well, let’s just call it “kindness.” The studies did not claim that possessing this hormone would transform people into generous, altruistic humans, but the research does seem to show that oxytocin is present in kind people. I kept coming back to the idea that older people are some of the happiest and kindest humans.
This is not to say Old Folks are all sweetness and light. We all know this is not reality. I could make a long list of grumpy old men and women I have known over the years and probably so could you. I definitely can think of times in my life when I would need to include myself on such a list. Perhaps you can think of such times in your life, too.
I hope I am less grumpy, more kind and caring than I once was. I think I am. I try to be. I pray to be. I believe I can say I don’t get as angry or impatient as often with people and things that once would have set me off: poor drivers, selfish people, interruptions to my plans, and politics come to mind.
Especially politics. Positions and arguments that are contrary to the way I see the world no longer make me think or act in unkind ways. It’s not that I’ve given up my beliefs and opinions, it’s just that I have come to realize arguing doesn’t accomplish much, especially in today’s, as the current phrase has it, “toxic environment.” I’ve also come to realize a person’s position on any one issue does not define that person as a human being. Maybe this attitude is the result of me getting older.
Another idea the Happy Old Folks article made me consider is this: Is the “love hormone” the cause or the effect of the kindness and goodwill? Is a person kind because of the presence of the hormone, or is the presence of the hormone the result of acting with kindness? Either way, acting in kind and generous ways surely is a good thing. It can’t hurt to be nice, right?
Norman Knight, a retired Clark-Pleasant Middle School teacher, writes this weekly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
