Dorothy Weismiller
“At your age …” some people say as if we were ready to be bundled up on the slag heap! They should remember that while there are some things we have a little problem with such as entering marathons, although some folks in their 80s and 90s have been know to do it and win or re-shingling their three storey houses, but mostly we are able to carry on much as we did in earlier years. Of course we have more time if retired and we have the years of experience in daily living to help us but I find that when any thing come up that requires any expertise, we are asked if we would like to go and lie down. That might be a slight exaggeration but you get the message.
In actual fact, I am quite glad to be overlooked in some cases but give us seniors a break - we are able to carry on much as we always did. Sure, we might forget to put the baking powder in the biscuits once but when I was eleven years old, I had my first story published in the children’s section of the Free Press - the story was about leaving out one ingredient in the biscuits! These things happen to all of us at any age but when a senior does it she or he or anyone else around immediately thinks “ oh, oh -this is not a good sign” Yes, we do this to ourselves, too.. Probably because there is so much emphasis on ill or failing seniors that we tend to lump everyone together. Now that I have that out of my system, I must say I am glad there are senior’s groups, senior’s homes, senior discounts ( I really like that one) and I am truly enjoying being a senior. It is nice to be able to sleep in in the morning and not have to go to a job or to take a holiday whenever the chance comes up. Freedom is such a blessing and we have earned it. Now if people would just stop saying,“ at your age”!