Graceful Aging

This business of aging has been a subject for many writers, thousands of them in fact, and I’ve contributed my fair share of blathering as well.  Doctors weigh in on the subject often with very pessimistic views.  They don’t see a remedy.  Philosophers opine about the meaning of aging and life and (yikes!) death.  Cosmetic and nutritional supplement purveyors offer false hope with products claiming to slow down or at least eliminate the obvious signs of aging. And poets, well poets observe.  Poets look at the whole process and report on how it works; some gently, some bluntly and with anger, and others with wry good humor.

I’m beginning, finally, to actually feel qualified when I write about aging.  I’m closer now to seventy than I’ve ever been.  According to actuarial charts an American man who has lived to the ripe age of sixty-seven has about another fourteen years to hang around being a pain in the butt.  Of course that’s an average and it is considerably reduced when said male is plagued with hypertension or diabetes.  It is all just guessing after all, though life gets really interesting when a person realizes that he’s looking at checking out when a couple of his grandkids might still be in high school.  Yep, interesting.

But there’s no need to feel depressed or angry or “short changed” when we’re thinking about aging.  We need to be pragmatic and realistic.  If we’re above the ground walking, or in my case – hobbling, then we’re doing better than some folks.  Not to get all mushy, but if we’re aging we’re still getting up in the morning and facing a day full of joyous surprises.  It’s true that we may also be facing debilitating problems.  But who isn’t these days? 

And we do need to look at the perks of codgerdom.  There’s the instant discount in restaurants and donut shops.  Then there’s the privilege of belonging to AARP and getting all of their “benefits”.  I do have to admit that I cancelled my AARP membership many years ago.  It seemed like the organization was lobbying for spending measures that would increase my contributions to the government so much that they would greatly overshadow any discounts or benefits gained by belonging.  And, sadly, my values were somewhat in opposition to some of those promoted by those gray headed political activists.

So, let’s see, what other perks can we find in being old folks.  Well we don’t have to make as many excuses for bodily imperfections, or windage control, or missed words in conversations, or misplaced car keys.  I could go on but I can’t remember any others.  Besides, by now you’re bored with this old guy recitation and you’re secretly surfing the net on your IPhone looking for funny videos or big bosomed women.  Those are other things I don’t worry about now that I’m a little older; the IPhone or funny videos. 

That’s it for this brilliant blog.  I’m up way past my bedtime.  And I need to pee again.  Watch for a future entry in which I’ll discuss the merits of various memory improvement exercises.  Now have a fine day.