Reflection #25 Feeling Old
The Gap Year: Reflection #25 Feeling Old
“Like billowing clouds, like the incessant gurgle of the brook, the longing of the spirit can never be stilled.” ―Hildegard of Bingen
It’s my birthday month. Time slips by so quickly. I’m surprised when the calendar reminds me that another year or decade has gone by. I seem to forget my age until someone on the light rail offers me their seat. But one time, when a younger person failed to do so, I was perplexed that they she not notice my unsteadiness. I tend to forget my age completely and was baffled when someone asked if I needed help with my groceries. On the other hand once, untrusting my newly replaced knees, I asked a young man to give me his seat. He seemed reluctant to do so.
First Lady and activist, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote, “Today is the oldest you’ve ever been and youngest you’ll ever be again.” How true. Perhaps she wrote this in her later years in the awareness that her life and body were transitioning. These changes are fascinating.
Some days we don’t “feel” old, whatever our chronological age. It seems that we all feel younger than our years. Yet, truth be told, one day we wake up to discover we have not eluded the years. We are amazed that we are older than we ever thought we’d be. Those younger around us speak of us as being “seniors” or “the older generation” despite us not feeling a bit older than we did last year… except for the telling of the years that we cannot escape.
I’ve noted that there are three stages of “old”. There are the young old: sixty-five to seventy, the older old: seventy to ninety, and the oldest old: ninety-plus years. With each stage, we’ll face specific issues. Some of these “issues” are not so lovely.
Some may tell you that aging is no laughing matter. But I’ve decided to turn my worries about aging into contemplation and comedy. This way I get to bond with other women, and some good men, who are in the same boat. Betty White, in her memoir, wrote,” My mom said to never lie about your age because you'll forget what you told one person and get mixed up. My age has been published over the years, so I could no more say I'm younger than 92 than fly to the moon. But it's amazing—past a certain age, you can get away with murder. You can do anything and people will say, "Well, the poor old soul, she's … you know …".
Thanks Betty!
Now it’s your turn.
Take time to reflect and if in a group, share as you feel able.
I feel younger than my years.
I tend to forget my age completely.
I am aware that my life and body are transitioning.
I am facing issues that are not so lovely.