“Suddenly, I’m the old one?
Age Is Just A Number. Grandma taught me that a half-century ago.
For the past ten years, I have lived in a quiet suburban neighborhood, where I pride myself on being a spry and spirited older individual who stays active and engaged. Throughout those passing years, I was oblivious to the reality of aging, firmly believing that age is just a number.
“Where did it begin?”
One sunny afternoon, I decided to stroll through the nearby shopping center while waiting for my appointment at the optometrist’s office.
As I stopped in front of one of the various shop windows, I saw an older woman from the neighborhood looking back at me, watching my every move.
Surprised to see her there, I recognized familiarity in the lines on her face, the silver strands in her hair, and the subtle erectness in her posture. I could tell she exercised and worked out often.
Seeing her friendly face in the window, I assumed we had crossed paths during our workout routines. I rode my bicycle five miles daily throughout our complex and was positive we passed one another occasionally.
I toyed with the idea of going inside to chat with her, but my appointment was in ten minutes, and I was at the opposite end of the complex. Figuring she would understand, I smiled at her and nodded, and she did the same. Then, I hurried along my way.
As I neared the west end of the shopping center, I was walking beside a large glass window that revealed a quaint, serene garden inside. Conscious of the time but lost in thought, I slowed and gazed at the greenery beyond. With their arms full of packages, two young women were giggling and strolling along the sidewalk, so I slowed to let them enter the door ahead of me.
“Recognizing age Is just a number.”
After they passed through, the door closed, revealing the older woman approaching me, watching my every move. Her facial features reminded me of my namesake aunt from a bygone era. It was as if she hadn’t aged as she stepped back into my life.
“Whoa!” Surprised, I blurted out loud to no one in particular, “How did you beat me here?” ‘There must be a walking path inside the mall,’ I thought. I’ll check it out later.
My appointment was in a few minutes, so I hurried toward the sliding glass door. I made it to the entrance, but before I stepped on the pad that controlled that door, I saw the woman again rushing toward me from the other side.
“Typical,” I thought, “she’s confused and coming out of the entrance door. If she doesn’t hurry up, I’m going to be late. Old folks need to get a clue!”
As the door opened, I stepped aside out of respect and said, “C’mon out! Hurry up!” She must have been moving slowly because the door glided shut before she exited.
I waited another moment, thinking she might need assistance, so I hurried back in front of the door. Sure enough, I saw her rushing towards me from behind the glass.
The door slid open, and again, she was gone! That’s when it hit me hard; Mom always said the older I got, the more I favored my aunt; now I could see it. That old girl; that’s me!”
“What I learned about age is just a number.”
With a newfound realization, I stepped briskly into the hallway, no longer resisting the reality of aging. Instead, I embraced it and rushed to the doctor’s office, grateful for the memories and the lessons that time had given me.
From that day till now, I have appreciated every moment, knowing that my aging reflection in the glass was not just a reminder of the years gone by but a testament to a well-lived life.
“What can I teach others about aging?”
Many of the younger generation do not understand that the passage of time doesn’t diminish the value of life; rather, it enriches the tapestry of experiences.
Eventually, we come to a profound realization. If humans keep living, they will grow old, but not all of us will make it. Many of my friends lost the battle at a younger age.
My grandparents raised me, so I have always had a healthy respect for the older generation. We were taught to value our elders. They took time to share lessons, and I listened. Nowadays, respect has left the building.
“Age is just a number to respect.”
Younger people, some still in their teens, who know everything there is to know about everything, feel like we should go ahead and die.
One misinformed young woman even alluded to that premise at the beginning of the Pandemic when she said on national TV, “It’s an old people’s disease; they can just go ahead and die. Who cares?” I wondered at the time who her parents were and if they were still living.
If you are fortunate to live long enough to understand that growing old is a privilege and not a right, enjoy every moment you can.
Numbers show us that every day is a gift we should respect and comes with a lesson to learn. For instance, you have lived for 6,574.5 days at eighteen years old. At sixty years of age, you have lived approximately 21,915 days. So, a sixty-year-old woman has forty-two years, or 15,340 more days, to learn, love, and live than a teen who knows everything. Who do you think has more knowledge?
“Aging is a gift that we should cherish.”
If I learned one lesson, it is that the beauty of life is found in the value of helping, not disparaging each other. Love and compassion shown towards your fellow humans are paramount.
Make it a point to put a smile on an older person’s face at least once a day. When you do, you will enjoy this unique and beautiful chapter in the story of your existence.
And, the way the world works, one day, when you’re older, someone will return the gesture out of respect for the road you traveled, the lessons you learned, and the gray hairs you earned.
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Live Well,
CK and Kat DeLeon
Email: blpress@balmylane.com
Home: https://www.balmylane.com
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