Should I grow old gracefully – or disgracefully?

Now that I’m about to turn 70, I’m wondering: shall I grow old gracefully, or disgracefully? Everyone I know, young and old, tells me that I must go disgracefully (and that’s how they plan to go, or so they say). It seems that growing old gracefully has gone out of style – especially for women – but maybe it’s time for a revival?

What’s the difference between the two? Growing older gracefully is about letting go of the pleasures of...