Grow old gracefully...now, that’s funny!
On November 8th, I turned 56 years old.
In recognition of my birthday, I received a USPS postal package containing an AARP promotional calendar and fanny pack, an offer for a Golden Buckeye card, a coupon for a Sunshine Breakfast consisting of a 2 egg omelet, toast and a (decaf) coffee, a membership to The Senior List, and an offer for a complimentary tour of a local 55 and over apartment community.
Wow! The swag-bag of epic proportions was mine, all mine, simply because of my age. Could this be too good to be true? Quite frankly, this graying gal could get used to this red carpet kind of treatment! I was amused by the plentiful perks of my 56th birthday!
Then suddenly, as I stepped away from the mailbox from whence the gift was delivered...I missed the curb, fell to the ground, and twisted my previously injured ankle. I was slightly embarrassed and giggling but I hobbled my way back to the house.
After an hour of elevation and icing my injury, it occurred to me...damn! I am getting old.
Why else would I have fallen? Maybe it was the recently prescribed glasses or the high-level curb...maybe, it was my increasingly preoccupied mind, or maybe, just maybe, my mishap was intended to remind me of the importance of being aware of where I am at. And where I am at is in the midst of the maturation process.
Well, I thought, if I am going to do this aging thing...I had better adopt a healthy mindset. After all, I am a person who writes about the joy to be had in life; that includes all stages and phases. I have listened to and written about countless others who have navigated their path beyond their prime. And, if they can do it with a positive attitude, so can I. Here is a list of promises I have made to myself:
I will take good care of my mind, body, soul, and heart.
I will move, dance, and walk.
I will accept my body’s gradual and warped-speed changes alike.
I will not fight aging, I will not wish it away. I will not hide from it.
I will toast it. I will celebrate it.
I will find joy in the journey.
And, finally, I will laugh my way through it; most likely, dawning my sexiest leakproof brief for the occasional sneeze or tears of laughter running down my leg. But, I will laugh, none-the-less.
When faced with a transition of any sort, tickling your funny bone can help to alleviate some of your aches and pains. Here are a few notable quotes to lighten the load (from https://www.atimetolaugh.org/aging-with-humor.html).
“Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me! My theory on aging is that I want people to know 'why' I look this way. I've traveled a long way and many of the roads weren't paved.”
“My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.”
“You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.”
“First, you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull up your zipper.”
“Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.”
“I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.”
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