Seventy
By Gerrit Gielen
Today – May 26th 2026 – I turn seventy. And yes, old age has now officially begun.
There are more years behind me than there are ahead. Yet I feel no heaviness, only a quiet wonder. So far, this process of growing older has been one of the most beautiful journeys of my life. I feel as though I am slowly rising toward the source of myself — becoming more and more who I truly am. As if a role I have played for a long time, with heart and soul, is something I may now release with love and gratitude.
My body is no longer as fast, strong or supple as it once was. But what I let go of physically is more than compensated by what is awakening in my mind and soul. It is as though the walls of my personality that once confined me are softly beginning to crumble. Behind those walls there is no emptiness, but an infinite, living space — a still, radiant vastness filled with shimmering stars.
Being human on earth also means choosing fear and loneliness. I have known both. Now I let them go, slowly — I have learned from them, seen how they shape humanity. The wonderful thing is that releasing and connecting go hand in hand. The more I let go, the more deeply I connect: with the people who truly live in my heart, and with the Earth herself. I feel gratitude for every moment of my life.
The achievement-driven society, the noise and chaos of these times, I leave behind with a smile — I have fortunately never lost myself in them. What remains is a clear, quiet love for the living planet. For the wind through the trees, the light on the water, the silence of the forests. Never before have I felt so deeply connected to Mother Earth. That heart-connection with Gaia I carry with me, wherever I go. She remains.
I do not know how many seasons I am still granted. But for as long as I am here, I hope to pass on something of the inner landscapes I am privileged to behold — of the peace, the love and the quiet grandeur that unfolds within me.
Gerrit Gielen
