Happiness in Aging: Why Older Is Not Always Worse

Most Americans blindly accept the idea that 'newer is automatically better.' But a human life contradicts this premise. There is a great deal of happiness to be found as we grow older. My own parents, now in their sixties, recently told me that they are happier now than they have ever been. They would not want to be my age. Did this surprise me? At first, yes. Then it gladdened me. Their contentment holds out great promise for me as I move into the next - perhaps even better - phase of my life.

'There is a great deal of happiness to be found as we grow older, which contradicts the premise that 'newer is automatically better,' and my own parents, now in their sixties, recently told me that they are happier now than they have ever been, and they would not want to be my age, and while this initially surprised me, it ultimately gladdened me because their contentment holds out great promise for me as I move into the next - perhaps even better - phase of my life.'

This sentence is complex and consists of multiple clauses and phrases. The main clause is 'There is a great deal of happiness to be found as we grow older.' The sentence also includes a relative clause, 'which contradicts the premise that 'newer is automatically better,' that modifies the main clause. Additionally, there are two dependent clauses, 'my own parents, now in their sixties, recently told me that they are happier now than they have ever been' and 'they would not want to be my age.' These clauses provide examples to support the main clause. The sentence also includes an introductory phrase, 'Most Americans blindly accept the idea that 'newer is automatically better,'' and a concluding phrase, 'because their contentment holds out great promise for me as I move into the next - perhaps even better - phase of my life.' Overall, the sentence is effective in conveying the author's argument that happiness can be found in aging.