“The Golden Years are Here at Last”
The title is a line from, The Cat in the Hat and Aging”. Some of you may be familiar with that poem by Dr. Suess and others may want to look it up. I heard a lot of people say age is only a number, well the poem has a different conclusion. I am feeling a little like, “Old age can just kiss my ***’, as stated in the poem.
I am coming to grips with my hair getting old. That may be the first thing some of you noticed but not me. My nails got older also but I thought that was some health issue and could be corrected. I also had some hair concerns and tried various remedies, but am now finally GETTING IT; things are getting old and the trend will continue AND it SUCKS. There are remedies for a lot of things but the cost and the trouble may make it unappealing, but I am thankful for remedies. A wig, fake nails are optional but hearing aid and canes or other aids may not be optional.
Some people may just float along this old age journey, but some of us mourn the passing of our former self and every aspect of our former self. What bothers you currently the most? Is it Hair, nails, teeth, eyes, ears, smell, mobility, driving? Does anything bother you at all?
The poem says it all, so you need to read it. I won’t know what that is doing in a children’s book. Oh My, they don’t need to hear any of that yet.
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I suppose I’ve learned from my parents and grandparents not to fight it but to embrace it. I have always kept deep inside me all the wonderful experiences through which I have lived….all the beautiful memories that are still with me. My home is a plethora of all the symbols of things that mean so much to me. My husband, children and grandchildren are my greatest treasures. I say honestly that I think I’ve done just about everything I’ve wanted to do except, perhaps, ride on The Orient Express ?. We have our share of aches and pains but always jokingly say that ‘we have two arms, two legs and two eyes’. I believe that we have been blessed with a strong sense of faith in ‘someone looking after us’ and love good humor.
Pay your bills, live your life the way your ancestors taught you with wisdom and love…..and not to worry about your health, hair, what to eat, what not to eat, ..take a few minutes a day to BE QUIET and just give that time over to YOUR MAKER, whomever that is for you. That’s the best MAKEOVER you can get and it’s FREE.
Rose1943, I am happy for you,
I will continue to make the best of what I have as I don’t like the alternative.
Hi Rose, I loath everything about ageing……….don’t want people telling me I should embrace it and that there are many who would change places with me, I know all that, and I do try and embrace each day and count my blessings…..I am not a miserable old sod and have retained my sense of humour, thank God…..that’s about the only thing that hasn’t changed………I don’t go around moaning about getting older…….but I don’t have to like it…… and I DONT….
Starlette, You and I understand each other. I am not religious and I don’t think I am nearer to the promised land. People that are religious may get some comfort from it. I am as I stated and I am not ashamed of any of it. I have a good life, but aging is not a fun thing. I turned 60 and retired, I turned 65 and got Medicare; there is no benefit in getting older. NONE.
Being spiritual doesn’t mean being religious.
rose1943, I think I lack the right wisdom or spirituality to accept this AGING. I am glad I talked about this though. I am doing aging my way as I have lived life my way. I did not follow the traditions of my parents.
agreed rose
Ageing has taught me several things,two of which are confidence and tolerance…At my age,men tend to outnumber women by 2 to 1, at least,that gives me confidence that I dont have to live alone,if I dont want to,and having outlived many of my contempories,theres no reason that i know of why life shouldnt continue for some time yet for me…..I find I,m tolerant of Trump and Turnbull,s (our PM) bombast and bullshit..I can read between the lines..also those young chaps who try to be different by wearing their trousers around their knees and showing off their dirty and stained underwear..They are only trying to make a statement of rebellion..Bless them 🙂
Sorry …women outnumber men by 2 to 1…..scuza..my mistake ! 🙂
Cappuccino, and that is the good news.
I have been reading the above replies ,and interesting views on aging. I have a friend who constantly says we are not getting any younger. I remind her that starts the day your born. As I am the oldest in our group of friends. I have one friend who use to constantly feel the need to tell random strangers how old I was . since passing sixty herself this doesn’t happen now . I realise now this was her fear of getting old . I have to add the two ladies are lovely and very dear friends. My view on getting older is , I have good health ( type2 Diabetes but well under control) Physically can walk good distances no arthritis at the moment . yes my hair is much thinner I have the most horrible toenails ( pork scratchings come to mind) I enjoy going out and about without worrying if I am wearing the latest trends no one is interested in what a 66yr old woman is wearing. I feel less is expected of me now which suits me. Having said this I can understand how people with health issues and maybe loneliness brought on with age hate getting old .But on a personal note , after a struggle with retirement last year I am now enjoying this golden age, Circumstances dictate our views on the golden age
Madge, You sound honest and realistic and very sensible. As for how we dress, that is a choice within limitations. I still remember gathering up all my 4 inch spike heels and putting them in a garage sale. I then realized years later I could wear them in and out and sit for hours if I chose. I do have some great red sandles with 3 inch wedge heels that I wear and feel 20 years younger and like a senior who is playing a younster. Just as we sneaked lip stick on back when we were teens. So. I keep what I can if I choose.
This blog is helping me to realize that we get older and most of us don’t change that much and we makes choices according to our means and limitations.
We do old age our way to a great extent making adjustments as we go.
Madge, About dressing, I think many seniors gain a new sense of FREEDOM. Whether it is dressing, sleeping when they please, or other matters. I am in a group for older women and it was started by senior women who have a group for women to just have fun and wear red and purple. Having fun breaks a rule that women should be doing good works or doing something useful. There are many clubs for men to enjoy themselves.
Great writing, Jane…..the right foot started tapping immediately!
Roseinbloom…..inside we do not change so much we still on occasion can feel like that that 14yr old girl LOL! Our”shell” is a different story, it cracks,creases, bits wear out and sometimes drop off. I remember the exact instant I realized I was morphing into and old lady. I was riding passenger in the car, I felt I had an eyelash in my eye, so I dropped down the vanity mirror, removed the offending eyelash, then caught sight of my neck!!!!!! I saw I had these two sinew cords on either side of it? Never noticed these before, always had a smooth column before LOL! OMG!!! Aunty Dot’s neck. From then on I notice more things daily it seems. I see this old lady in mirrors all over the house, she lives here LOL.
A few years ago I won a place to go on a weekend with Dove the soap people. A super weekend in a hotel in Toronto all expenses paid. A group of women to discuss….being woman!? One morning they gave the older of us 15 minutes to compose a “rap” to explain what aging felt like. to the younger members of the group. The following is my effort, it does not scan perfectly, I’ve always meant to tidy it up but OK never got round to doing it LOL. I invite you all to add a few lines…… Or write your own…….
A girl is a girl know what I’m sayin’?
That female thing….. it aint a dyin’.
I want fashion I want frillies
I want fur to cut the chillies,
Give me gold and let me glitter
I don’t have the years to fritter.
See me, hear me,love me too
I’m the same as you and you…..
Just bound and trapped in this here shell
Stiff and sore and worn as well!
The core it glows, embers bright
Shaped by love’s searing light.
A girl is a girl from start to finish-
This female thing just don’t diminish!
That is it……we are still the same inside. On good days I like to think of myself as vintage, like the wine, I have undertones and subtle high notes ,that draws on every experience and sight I have seen , a full developed complex unfathomable flavour that is me. Yes my ‘barrel” shows wear, a few cobwebs and the signs of time but just proof of a history. Nothing I can do to stop time, so seek the enjoyable and ignore the rest as best you can.
We women talk about this among ourselves a lot…..Guys, when did you first feel that finger of time pointing directly at you?
Love the rap song, Rockflower! It’s humorous, and I think, quite good!
Maybe you discovered a new calling!?!
When I was coming up to my sixties, I thought this is the end, I was becoming an old age pensioner. But now I’m into the 80s I don’t care any more. I’m still enjoying life, have reasonable health, just a mild type 2 diabetes, without medication. Yes I have nerve damage on my feet, which makes me feel wobbly when standing, but I can still walk, and I do a few miles every day if possible. My hair is thinner and now completely white, but funnily enough I am happier with it now than I ever was.
My twin sister is always saying, but we ARE 81, which really annoys me, as I’m still young at heart and don’t feel my age.
Janey. Thank you for your comment. I think when we exercise we feel young and if we are feeling younger we like it that way and don’t want reminders.
I am going to join a gym and go for exercise 3 times a week at least. Then I will look and feel younger.
It’s not just that I am pretty active still that makes me young at heart Rose, but my attitude to life in general.
Janey, understand and believe you. Your attitude is great. Like a lot of other things in life we can change a lot of things but our attitude is not ways to change. I am stuck with my attitude and so are many others and I and they may change if they have positive people like you in their life. This chat site has been great for me.
Hello Rose,
well to count age by years which most people do than they will the age they have reached.
I count my age by the feelings I get every day means many usual things take me longer to to fulfill or one day I can feel my backbone hurting me than usual.
I’m not complaining no I take it like the food my Mum has serve us when
she sai* you’ve to eat what comes on the table. So I accept what I got and
thank God for what I didn’t get within all those years.
Good blog of yours Rose.
I agree, Michael. My mother also said, we have to eat what was on the table, but she did a lot to get the best he could on the table. So we do what we can and deal with what life serves us.
Attitude has to be the forerunner in many aspects of life……..a positive attitude will help overcome many illnesses, the ups and downs of life in general …….you will find people will choose your company over people with negative attitudes, the ones who focus on every little ache and pain, the” woe is me” and “what have I done to deserve this”……….life is life regardless of your status or wealth, we all get the knocks, the let downs, the broken relationships, the family problems…….health is wealth, not everyone has good health but still have the right mental attitude to plough on regardless…………..now life plays a cruel trick on us, it keeps our brain forever feeling as young as we once were, but the outer shell belies the brain……..
Starlette, I agree that people like a positive and cheerful person, but there is a time and place when we can be honest with each other.Here, is a place for us to be honest with each other and learn that we are not alone. It, aging, is creeping up on all of us. You are also right that our brain plays tricks on us and our brain lets us ignore the harsh reality of life, like we are marching to our grave and very day brings us one day closer. We can ignore that and still think that our perfect love is just around the next bend, or we may win the lottery or something else.
A’s best I know many people have romance in their heart until the very end. The brain allows us to look the other way and not see what is directly ahead.