Sunday, December 30, 2012

AGING….A FEW THOUGHTS

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Never thought too much about getting old when I was younger.  Don’t suppose too many younger people ever do.  Been on my mind lately though.

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Aging is one of those not talked about subjects.  Almost right up there with the seldom talked about subject of death.  We all make lots of jokes about aging.  We folks that are doing the aging that is.  Comedians love us, & it’s a good thing.  Humor is always a sure fire way to deal with gray area topics.  Seems if we make lite of our poor memories, aching backs, failing knees, hair loss, & dentures, it somehow staves off the inevitable reality a while longer.  Makes it all a little less serious in some way.  And, if we can laugh about it, we don’t need to cry about it.

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I, like many others when younger, just figured getting old was for old people.  Never had the interest or the time to think one day I might be an old person myself.  Not likely to happen & if it did, I would cross that bridge when I came to it.  Guess what…..it’s bridge time.

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GUESSING THIS LITTLE FELLOW AT A PYRRHULOXIA (SILVER CARDINAL) >>>

On the reality side of things, with all the humor aside, aging can be a sobering & serious matter.  One that eventually cannot just be brushed aside or continually quipped away.  Sooner or later we all have to deal with it.  No exceptions.  To a point, many including myself, take the Cavalier approach for as long as we can.  You know, ‘I’m too young to get old’, ‘ain’t gonna happen to me’, ‘my best years are ahead’, blah blah blah.  And, who wants to talk about getting old anyway!!  But eventually, whether it be the sudden knock on the door of a heart attack, stroke, a cancer diagnosis, debilitating illness, or slower memory loss leading to Alzheimer's, the time comes for all of us to realistically look at ourselves, where we are, what condition we are in, where we want to go & how to handle the crossing of another bridge.

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I, like many, have noticed the tell tale signs creeping up over the last few years.  The stiffness in the joints, short term memory loss, tiring easily, confusement sometimes over seemingly simple things, slower reaction times, poor sleep, weight gain, reading difficulties, intolerance to winter’s cold & summer’s heat.  Longer recovery times from illness.  The list goes on & on but it is such a gradual process it can be hard to notice.  One of the first signs I had years ago was the difficulty in getting back up off the floor.  Seemed like such a simple thing at the time.  I’m not at the “I’ve fallen & can’t get up” stage yet, but I’m not springing up onto my feet as I once did either.  I’m at the ‘having a little trouble getting my socks on stage’. 

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Every individual ages differently depending on circumstances whether they be mental or physical.  Family genes play an important role as does how & where a person grows up, type of employment or recreation.  I’ve known for about 10 years that my legs someday would probably be my Achilles Heel.  And, so they are.  But, I can’t complain.  I’ve not had any major surgeries or serious malady’s through the years.  Doctor’s visits & hospital stays were few & brief.  However, at 68, this past year has seen some changes.  More medical appointments in one year than I had in my previous 67 years all put together.  Aging?  I think so………….

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Attention grabbing signs have increased & become more noticeable.  Irritability level is up, my tolerance level for many things has dropped.  I haven’t seen that witty humorous guy I used to know for most of my life.  Where did he go?  Where did my patience go?  How & when did that slip out the door on me.  Was I not looking in the right direction.  My lack of patience is especially noticeable when it comes to computers & new electronic technologies.  Seems to be a struggle now trying to understand things or taking the time & having the interest to understand things.  And, it is that ‘lack of interest’ that has ramped up this past year & scares me the most. 

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CACTUS WREN

It seems as people grow older & become elderly, their world begins to shrink around them.  And it seems it begins with a lack of interest in things that were once important, enjoyable, & yes…. interesting.  Hobbies fall by the wayside, outings become less, friends become fewer.  Is it really part of the aging process.  For some of us, it probably is.  Say, what was it I was just writing about anyway………     

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Finished my bedroom paint project this morning.  Even remembered to put the paint can lid back on the can too:))  

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COMING DOWN THE HOME STRETCH

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FINISHED:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A retired husband is often a wife’s full-time job.
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
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27 comments:

  1. Room looks very nice. Cozy and warm. Good job.
    I know what you mean about not being able to spring up from a down position any longer. Really cheeses me off too!!!!!!

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  2. Thoughtful stuff, Al. I have noticed many of these same things, in one form or another. A difference, though, is that I am still working and I think that forces me to keep my brain functioning. Not as quick as I used to be, of course. I also have purposely taken on some new hobbies that keep me excited. I learned to knit at 60 plus and learned to quilt just last year at 67. Knees are fighting me more and more but so far I can still get around. I no longer sit on the floor, however! Yes, Al, you have to laugh because it is the only way to deal with it. And keep trying with the computer thing. It is frustrating, but it will force your brain to keep firing. At least that is what they say, learn something new that is kinda hard. Wanna learn to knit?

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  3. Great job on the room.

    Your comments on aging really hit home. I'm finding a lot of frustration with all my aches, pains, food problems and such and it's making me more short tempered and less tolerant. Unfortunately the people I love are the ones that get hit. I can so appreciate how you feel!

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  4. I agree Al, and she ain;t gona get any better either,,, I got 10 years on you and they were the hardest 10 years of my life....

    Happy New Year to you guys....

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  5. We are all getting older..some are just getting there sooner! You are only as old as you feel and some days even we feel 'old'!
    hang in there, Al!

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  6. Thanks Al for the philosophic (and true) thoughts of aging. Sooner or later we will all experience parts of it.
    You both have a knack for colors in your house. It sure turns out beautiful!

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  7. Hi Al and Kelly. This post rings lots of bells but ..... there are a few things you can do to slow the process which work for some but maybe not so much for others.

    I am 73.5 and John, my husband is 77 and we are turning the clock back or at least slowing it down. I am fitter and stronger than a few years ago.

    I had to lose a lot of weight and in the process came across the book WHEAT BELLY by Dr, William Davis, a cardiologist. This is an intelligent book for the general public and you just might find a few answers to some of your questions and frustrations with aging.

    There are things in the book most doctors don't know how to explain. It's well worth a read and then it's up to you how you interpret it.

    Genes are funny things. My mother died this year at 96. She was still swimming in the ocean at 90 years old.

    There are many things I will never do now, some I never did when I was young and fit. There are some things I appreciate as I grow older. One of them is having time and inclination to look around and enjoy nature and the othr is the knowledge and experience to not get knotted up about fleeting things.

    You will never grow 'old' because you are far too interested in things around you and doing stuff like painting. That room looks so inviting.

    Your starry chats are inspiring because of your enthusiasm. There's lots more where that comes from.

    Long comment but I thought you needed cheering up. Growing old is for the brave and courageous.

    Blessings

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  8. Your post sure rang a bell with me tonight. And since I'm married to a man who is 10 years older than I am, I notice a lot of changes. However, he also doesn't let the aches, pains, and surgeries slow him down much so he is inspiration. I've always been frustrated by technology so that one is nothing new for me. But the not being interested in learning the new stuff sure hit home.

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  9. Great post, but I wish you were too young to have written it. That's the kind of thing you can write only from experience, unfortunately.

    And that bedroom is really cool, just love it. Great eye for color.

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  11. Thought provoking post, Al. I think we can all relate on some level, and we are all different. There is no magic answer but each one may find something that helps as they age. Haven't found mine yet (haha) but still looking. Christmas is always a time for me to take a zillion photos of kids and family...this year I took about a dozen. For some reason it just wasn't the same. Hopefully Russ and I can work a trip into the new year schedule and add some good memories and experiences back into our lives. Take care...

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  12. Thank you for talking about aging. Wasn't until Mom died that I began to look at mortality. But we can keep a good attitude and be happy winners, even with a walker.
    BTW, there's a gadget to help put the socks on. Mom had one.
    Ya' know I have to fix a lot more typing/spelling errors than I used to.
    Happy New Year!

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  13. Great post and an open view of a taboo subject. I am 53 and you do more in a day than I do in a month.
    The room painting came out wonderful. You could make some extra income painting houses, if need be.
    I liked your bird pictures today also.
    Happy New Year!

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  14. Al, every generation of young people seems to grow up into a world of life threatening situations that they must learn to ignore in order to survive.

    When we grew up, it was under the treat of nuclear war with Russia that could wipe us all out, even though we learned to duck under the desks in school.

    We never want to think much about what it means to grow old, because we've always got too much to do before then. We carry that same thought around with us where ever we go. Always have to set some new goals for ourselves. Life is a gift, and as it has been said we live in the present.

    Keep on keeping on my friend. We adjust as necessary, but there is always something new for us to wonder about. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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  15. Al, your room is really lovely. So are you telling me that an "old" man did that? I don't think so. Age is a number, that's all, a number. I had my first knee replacement in my mid 50's. That was not very old.

    One's world shrinks about them only if they do not stretch. Lack of interest comes from, maybe?, not broadening the horizon?

    Now your outings may be due to your knees, but you can have them fixed, my friend!

    OK, I'm done preaching! lol

    Go out there and attack the world, my friend,..... with your gusto!

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  16. Well, the above sure did not come out as I hoped. I just wanted to encourage....didn't sound that way, did it? So sorry.

    A therapist once told John and I that the key to staying young is to learn a new skill every year. He told us about a woman who learned to play the guitar (well!) at age 99. So let's do it!

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  17. ahhh but it is the option option of not growing older that is more worrisome, I believe MargieAnne said it best "Growing old is for the brave and courageous."

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  18. John and Nan said: Now your outings may be due to your knees, but you can have them fixed, my friend!

    I know that you have talked about leg pains but I don't remember you saying anything about your knees. Is this a sign of my aging also - short term memory loss?

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  19. Al, humor is exactly what you need now...I totally understand the serious stages of aging..My grama had very bad dimentia, didn't know any of us at age 70...Trust me, I think of that when I can't remember stuff..But, hey, we got a good run goin' on now..My Mom and Dad never got to do what Den and I are blessed to do at our "extended years"..Keep that glass half full, my friend...half full ;-)

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  20. I too love those warm room colors.... and the painting on the wall. A warm post to go with, too.
    I try not to think of all the "what if's" and negative outcomes. I know they are out there, just waiting in the bushes, could be tomorrow, could be ten years or more. A crystal ball would certainly help in the planning out of our "end game." But then, being human, I wouldn't appreciate today as much. "Today," you guys are still "do'ers," movers and shakers, so to speak... living a great and diverse life on your own terms... buying a place and fixing it up, motor homing, exploring, photographing, taking walks in the sun, writing, and so much more. "Tomorrow" may be a long ways off... at least I hope to think so.
    Great post...
    Box Canyon Mark

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  21. You put into words exactly what I've noticed with myself the past year or so. Great post!

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  22. We hear you, Al! It takes a lot longer to get over illnesses as we lately found out! My Mom at 99 used to say.."I'm tired--I'm ready" and we would say ready for what?? And she would point her thumb in the air. We don't feel "tired" yet so I guess we are here for awhile. Your colors are great!! It is you and Kelly! Happy New Year!

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  23. Love your bedroom colors - much cozier! As for aging, I have a (short) list I try to concentrate on of the GOOD things about aging (like senior discounts & passes, more patience with & understanding of bad behaviors, better photographic skills, 'peace' with who I am instead of trying to be who someone else wanted me to be, the freedom to travel to new places & meet new people, no more boring, repetitive 40-hr work weeks, etc). I suspect you compose better photos now, & faster than you used to & now find more interesting things to photograph as your experience has grown. Aging just takes some 'adjustments' to learn to work smarter than we did in younger days. At least you know you're still alive if something hurts when you wake up — & you still care that it hurts. All of life is simply about our personal, ever-changing 'perspective' — & that usually improves with age! So, find something each day that excites you & gives you a reason to get active.

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  24. Sorry to say, it's just going to get worse, there's no way around it. Just part of the process I guess. Whenever I start to feel sorry for myself though, I pretty quickly realize how lucky I am to have seen and done the things I have these last 7 years. Just keep plugging and writing about it. Happy New Year.

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  25. I'm 69 years and 9 months old. Acceptance of what the hell happened is my biggest goal to be reached in three months.

    My most curious and interesting quest is to understand why I like pie more than wearing a red sundress. Gotta be something there... ha?

    great post ....

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  26. I would like to say I haven't experienced any of those aging signs. I try to hide them when around others but as much as I want to hid them, I know they are there and I don't like it one little bit.

    What a powerful blog! Very nicely done.

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  27. As everyone said before me...a great post. We just have to keep trying...there are so many things we can do to help ourselves...lose weight by eating healthy...see a physical therapist to learn some exercies to help...look at the meds we are taking (even over the counter) and most important give yourself credit for the things you do...be happy ...no worries!

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