I have written about the need when you are old of being able to give up control.

I had an interesting juxtaposition of control issues this week and as a result found a tool for learning to give up control that is available to all of us.  Jack G my father-in-law is still in the skilled nursing home and has stopped taking as many pain killers.  So his mind is back. See Vicodin story.  It is generally a good thing but this means he wants to try to make thing the way they were before he started to have all of these medical problems.   He see himself as the Chief Executive Officer of his life.  Right now he can’t decide whether to go home or stay in the nursing home.  It would be much better if he would just take his doctors advise or go with a vote of his family.  Full disclosure: this is messing up my planned vacation and driving us crazy.

I have been serving on a few committees and during a meeting last week I had this revelation.  Committee work is good training for being old.

It is too late for Jack but for those of you planning to be old I suggest serving on a few committees.  Don’t be the head just be a member.  You will be able to practice patience, not knowing what is going on and lack of control.  These are important skill to have when you are old.  As an unintended but important consequence the committee work will also help you build social capital.