There are few goals in life more important than achieving self respect, having integrity, being admired, and being a person of truth, honor and dignity.  Encouraging the development and honing  these qualities  helps us understand what life means. 

Growing older is a series of achievements.  Those achievements often grow out of bad judgments, poor decisions, lack of attention to what really is important.  Every scar, each wart is an indicator of what it took for us to get through some of the tensions of growing.  Those who deny any such traumas and tempests assailing our life experiences need to go through a reality check.

Tests are fairly easy to come by to determine whether our character has been helpfully molded by what we have passed through in our maturing.  Its fairly easy to ascertain whether we are respected, and to be aware whether we respect ourselves or not. 

It is not hard to know, from our intersections with others, whether we are trustworthy, whether our word is solid, whether integrity prevails in our interactions with others.

One of the gifts I treasure is a stack of letters and cards from my son which affirms his affection and respect for me.  Those words, having come from his heart, mean more to me than money in the bank.  Cards from my mother and spouse over the years celebrating various occasions let me know how precious they hold me in their lives. Personal letters from dear friends over many years let me know how much our acquaintance has meant in their/our lives. 

These are the testimonies that make up a catalog of how well we have managed maturity.

The fewer apologies we make or need to make to others is an indicator of whether we are mellowing.  The more times we are thoughtful about and toward others helps us know how gentle we have become.  The fewer things that contribute to anger or being upset or handling events with insensitivity, the more we are exercising internal and external control. 

 Growing older is a journey which will have its diversions and detours.  No matter the number of tangled Christmas tree lights or lost keys or forgotten promises, grace has a way of reminding us to keep our cool.  Judgment is learned not from our choosing good judgment, but from the times we exercise bad judgment as well.  If not, how could we know the difference? 

To the question, has growing older made you better, allow yourself the confidence that indeed it has and is and does and will.