Slow Down, Speed Up
At my age, I no longer move to the beat as fast as I use to. I no longer sprint up the stairs or slide down the banister. I find myself wanting to stay in bed with the dog "just another fifteen minutes" each morning my alarm goes off. I read the paper longer, drink more coffee and need a balanced breakfast or I get pretty darn grumpy.
In the good old days I would skip the newspaper, down a 1/2 cup of coffee while standing in the kitchen, and grab a Hostess fruit pie when I got to work. I thought a KitKat and a carton of milk was the way to start my day. Or petite donuts with chocolate wax coating. A bag of chips or a chili dog at the food court. Its no wonder I weighed 173 pounds! I'm now a slim 146-151 depending on my mood and diet for the week.
When I was a young professional I would vacuum the house, dust the collectibles, clean out the refrigerator and freshen up the cat box in record time. I would make my bed, toss dirty clothes in the washer, water the houseplants, and pay the bills before I left the house. I would read a book, write in my journal, sort the clothes, shave my legs before I would turn in for the night. On man - did I have energy with a capital E.
I am no longer middle aged! Apparently that ends at age 45-55. You're at another awkward stage between 56 and 62. Store personnel don't want to call you a senior because that may offend you. But on the other hand, they truly don't want you to be age 62 plus because that might mean a small discount at the checkout counter.
I don't feel my age. I believe I don't look my age. But when you say you have a daughter 35 years young, people stop and stare. You know they're doing the math in their head. Well, if her daughter is 35 and she married young at 20 that means this woman is 55 years OLD.
I'm not a fool. If they guess me at 55 then that's alright with me. But from this point forward I will gladly announce my only child is 23 and see what kind of addition they scratch on their dinner napkin.
My body might be slowing down, but my thoughts sometimes race and my dreams continue to soar. I'm not ready to through in the towel. Age is a number and sometimes that number sucks. But I love this life and my goal is to make it to age 100 like my maternal Grandmother Alma Dau. If the lights go out sooner than that I'm hoping for age 93 like my paternal Grandfather, Willis Smith (aka the Old Man).
I'm not going down without a fight...and either should you.
In the good old days I would skip the newspaper, down a 1/2 cup of coffee while standing in the kitchen, and grab a Hostess fruit pie when I got to work. I thought a KitKat and a carton of milk was the way to start my day. Or petite donuts with chocolate wax coating. A bag of chips or a chili dog at the food court. Its no wonder I weighed 173 pounds! I'm now a slim 146-151 depending on my mood and diet for the week.
When I was a young professional I would vacuum the house, dust the collectibles, clean out the refrigerator and freshen up the cat box in record time. I would make my bed, toss dirty clothes in the washer, water the houseplants, and pay the bills before I left the house. I would read a book, write in my journal, sort the clothes, shave my legs before I would turn in for the night. On man - did I have energy with a capital E.
I am no longer middle aged! Apparently that ends at age 45-55. You're at another awkward stage between 56 and 62. Store personnel don't want to call you a senior because that may offend you. But on the other hand, they truly don't want you to be age 62 plus because that might mean a small discount at the checkout counter.
I don't feel my age. I believe I don't look my age. But when you say you have a daughter 35 years young, people stop and stare. You know they're doing the math in their head. Well, if her daughter is 35 and she married young at 20 that means this woman is 55 years OLD.
I'm not a fool. If they guess me at 55 then that's alright with me. But from this point forward I will gladly announce my only child is 23 and see what kind of addition they scratch on their dinner napkin.
My body might be slowing down, but my thoughts sometimes race and my dreams continue to soar. I'm not ready to through in the towel. Age is a number and sometimes that number sucks. But I love this life and my goal is to make it to age 100 like my maternal Grandmother Alma Dau. If the lights go out sooner than that I'm hoping for age 93 like my paternal Grandfather, Willis Smith (aka the Old Man).
I'm not going down without a fight...and either should you.