Do you ever look in the mirror, or see a picture of yourself, and wonder what the hell happened? I’ve done this a lot lately. I mean, I look fine, I just look…old. Older than I used to look. And that’s okay, kind of, it’s just hard to wrap my mind around sometimes. The wrinkles, the thin skin, the grey, the aches and pains (well these I don’t see in the mirror, I just feel them). But what’s funny, is that in so many ways, I still feel like I’m in my 30’s, yet I’m closing in on 50.
50 years old!
My age has never really bothered me. In fact when I tell some one my age I alway say I’m almost 49. I have always gone to the next highest number and then said “almost.” Now I’m thinking I should change that habit.
As I have gotten older, life has become a balance between fighting aging (by eating healthy and exercising) and learning to grow old gracefully. Convincing myself that this is just life. But you know what? It’s not easy. And I’m not the only one that feels this way.
I spent the weekend with my grandma (she’s 96 years old), and when we were sitting at dinner in her new senior living center, she said, “I’m sitting here with a bunch of old people.” And I could sense that she couldn’t believe that she was one of them. My friends have also started to complain of old age sneaking up on them. The years of invincibility are gone and though it’s good in so many ways, it’s also a challenge to comprehend at times.
I have started by never looking in a mirror. (Okay, that’s a joke, but actually not a bad idea.) No really, I just do my best to appreciate the good things. My health and my family, to name a couple. Does it matter how old I am if I’m surround by those that I love. No, it doesn’t.
So as the wrinkles keep coming, I just continue to remind myself to be thankful for what I have, because this is life. And you know what? It’s a pretty damn good life most of the time, and if it means getting a few wrinkles to get this far, then so be it.
WRITING PROMPT: Write about getting older. Your wrinkles. What it feels like to move through life.
