On Getting Older

Gracie in the warm sunshine

Today I am 67. Do I feel that old? Yes and no. My arthritis and scoliosis make me feel 200 at times, but mentally no, I don't feel 67. Mentally I am still that curious woman who found the internet, loves to read, and always wants to see something new.

I had lunch with three friends on Sunday. One is a full year younger than me, the other two are a couple,who are approaching their 71st birthdays. The gentleman, a voracious reader, will not use a computer nor a smart phone. His wife tends to all emails, shows him the text messages they receive with photos of grandchildren on her phone, and explains what an "app" is. That is after I tell her how to find the apps and install them, then use them.  The woman who is a year younger has a son who is an IT expert, so she turns to him when her IPad, IPhone, and laptop won't do what she wants them to. She also has a problem with a television/cable box remote control. All three of these dear people were school teachers for 30 years.

What does this say about aging? Just this. You get old if you allow it. You think old if you shut out the world zipping by, and stop being curious. And the more you don't make inquiries, the more you don't ask questions on subjects that are confusing or new, the more your brain shuts down. THAT ages you.

I love listening to new music on the college radio station. I am willing to try entertainment that is out of my safe zone because you never know what you may like. I will try new foods. If you stay within the confines of what you have always done, there is no growth. No adventure. And no life, just existence. All of this is my opinion, because, hey, this is my blog. It is how I feel, how I live.

To know the real highs, you have to experience some lows. Take life one day at a time, but look around the corner. You just might like what you see.
Linda