Like so many of you amazing folks out there who have seen a half century or more of your lives pass by much too quickly, there are occasional off days when we might admit we feel just a little wiped out but then again far from being over the hill. Of course we all bravely try to stay as fit and active as we can but I firmly believe that whether we are slowing down a little or not, the best formula to happiness and longevity in our so-called Golden Years is to enjoy the company of family, friends and community to the fullest.
As I approach my 71st year with good intentions and an open mind, I would like to have a little fun this week by sharing some of the lifestyle changes and challenges that the baby boomer set may have to face along the way, and how we might adjust and solve them without being too stubborn or grumpy. I hope it brings a few chuckles, and maybe even some great suggestions of how to beat the ongoing battle of having to blow out far too many birthday candles.
• I have noticed lately that stairs are getting much steeper, groceries are heavier, everything seems farther away and while walking to the corner that our streets seem to be getting longer. Yours truly solved this by insisting before our last move that our next home would be on the first floor, we would use the elevator from the parking lot to move the groceries upstairs in a shopping basket and when out walking try to find streets with a bench so you can relax at the halfway point. Many of us have managed to find the slow speed on the treadmill or we can shift and shake along with those neat exercise shows (with music) on TV, as long as there is no one else in the room.
• Some of my senior coffee buddies suggested people are less considerate now and seem to be speaking either too loud or in whispers most of the time. Then again, how long has it been since we cleaned out our ears or had our hearing checked? Maybe we might have to get one of those fancy hearing aids and the government might even help us pay for it. On the other hand my wife calls it selective hearing.
• I also think that our new generation are much younger than we were at that age but on the other hand, people of my own age seem so much older than I am. I ran into an old friend the other day and she has aged so much that she didn’t recognize me. When I got to thinking about that poor dear lady while I was combing my hair the next morning, I glanced at my own reflection in the mirror. Well, really now, I guess even mirrors are not made the way they used to be.
• Clothing manufacturers are much less civilized these days. Why else would they suddenly start labelling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20 — do they think no one notices? Those fancy shorts, T-shirts, skirts, shorts and swimsuits all seem much too short and tight these days, they don’t cover as much as they used to and they don’t come in enough just plain old colors anymore. It is likely the same folks that are now making bathroom scales because they are pulling the same pranks. Do they think that we actually believe the number we see on that fancy flashing dial, because we would never let ourselves weigh that much.
• I never worried about the arrival of the gray hair and while many of my friends are nearly bald mine just keeps on growing and I will be forever thankful for Senior’s Day at the barbershop. One of my pet peeves is why do toe nails get much tougher to cut as we grow older? Maybe between doctor and dental appointments I will sneak in a smoothing/soothing pedicure.
Whatever the case, we will all hang in there as we always have, make the best of what we have been blessed with, and then have a great hot and sunny week, all of you!
— Hammertime