Aging

A funny thing happened to me since my birth.

I am nearing 60 years on this planet. I think I have gained some wisdom along the way in minute quantities, and have tried to pass it forward onto my kids (…as if they listen). But the one piece of wisdom I feel strongest about is to let them gain their own experiences in building their own wisdom.

This article didn’t start the way I planned it. My mind seems to wander onto different tangents as I age, like a trees root system looking for more purchase to stabilize the tree above. So I will start again continuing onward from ‘A funny thing happened to me since my birth’…

I’ve aged.

I don’t think I like it.

I am slowly becoming obsolete.

I am no longer the handsome devil that I was in my younger years. People look through me rather than meet my eyes upon them.

Pros and Cons

Things I still got going for me: My hair is still lustrous, my eyes are piercing blue, my wit is incomparable, my curiosity is unfathomably deep, and I still feel alive and young.

Things that I have acquired: It’s obvious that my belly is expanding. Parts of my skin are looking rather less lustrous. My ears have become a haven for extra hair to grow outward from. My natural circadian rhythms finally adjusted to the rise and setting of the Sun.

As in past articles that I have written, death has taken a seat in my thoughts. Probably because I am closer to that certain age where death is likely to occur, that and because of my mild heart attack I experienced this year.

And it is all happening too fast for my liking.

Knock knock? Whose there?!

As per my wisdom, you don’t tend to think about these things until it is standing on your doorstep. Then all the times you had observed it through your grandparents, and recently your parents, do you realize that the cycle of life is going to complete itself during your lifetime. You have two options: Accept it and move through it, or stand your ground and attempt to fight a losing battle to the death.

Aghast! I have gone on another tangent in trying to hone my thoughts in a clear and direct direction. Like I did in my younger days,… I think. I can’t exactly remember much of my younger days, let alone what I am dong now, as in: “What did I come into this room for?” or worse, the dreaded phrase “I’ll remember it later.”

So the best thing about aging is that you never know what will happen next, because all the while you are planning something the next part just happens whether you are prepared or not. In truth, it is all happening too fast. Whatever happened to last Thursday two months and a couple of years ago?? I can’t remember!!!

Aging is fascinating, ain’t it?!

I know I’m still young, relatively speaking. A hundred years ago I would have been lucky to live to the ripe old age of 43. But here I am in my late fifties riding my bicycle every chance I get. Or rather, when I have the energy to ride it and don’t make excuses not to.

I debate myself mentally all the time. Should I do a certain thing or can it wait until later? Will I remember it later? Does it really matter if I do it? What does my social media say about it? Then I get lost in my social media for a couple of minutes, which is actually an hour or more! I’m wasting my time but find myself saying ‘Who cares! It’s my time and I’ve earned the right to waste it!’, which is really a waste of my time.

I am getting slightly more stubborn as I age, yet I want to still be a hip as the younger generation. I am failing miserably balancing the two. In fact, I find myself observing the younger generation and saying under my breath, “Yeah, go ahead and enjoy your frivolity Sonny Jim, because you too will age and then find yourself observing a younger generation and referring to them as Sonny Jim in the not to distant future!”

The End Is Nigh!!

So here I am, about to turn 60. Slightly overweight with kidney disease and a heart that almost gave up on me. Yes, I struggle mentally and physically. But I still feel young at heart, though I know my limits and am not about to push myself any harder than I need to. I still like to ride my bike about 20K every other day. I cut a lot of the “Bad Foods” out of my diet. Though I would love to have an Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich with their special sauce, but it ain’t gonna happen because Australia doesn’t have an Arby’s!

So yeah, a funny thing happened to me since my birth…., but I can’t remember. Were we talking about something and, and…. who are you!??