233 Accepting Getting Older #1

More and more frequently I find myself having to accept the fact that I’m getting older.  Most of the time I still feel like I’m as alert, awake, and aware as I ever was, although I know that’s probably not really true.  There’s also the fact that I don’t seem to have either the desire, or the energy, to just go full tilt all day and into the night, like I once did.  And, I have to admit that there are the general aches and pains which remind me that the human body, remarkable piece of engineering that it is, wasn’t designed (nor built) to last forever.  Hence, I have one “rebuilt” knee and (given the advanced arthritis in the other one) I’ll probably need my “mechanic” to rebuild the other one before too many years.  And, there are other signs of age which I COULD complain about, but I won’t because it wouldn’t get me anywhere, anyhow.  

​This “Funky Winkerbean” comic a while ago really hit me hard.

Mind you, I’m not really complaining, I think I’ve had a pretty good life, all things considered, and I have no plans not to have it continue a good while yet.  There is the fact, though that I am more aware of getting older than I used to be, all of which is just a long-winded way of getting around to the fact that this post is going to include some of the stuff I have collected which seems to relate to the idea of getting older.  I find much of it a little ironic, but mostly amusing, and I hope you will, too.

​Society, generally, loves to make fun of us “olders.”  Our health, our memories, and the fact that many of us (myself included) aren’t considered to be really “with it” in terms of “modern” trends, seems to be a constant source of amusement to “youngers” (who are getting older every day).  (Revenge is SO sweet!)  Anyway, here’s a few things which relate to the fact of aging which I actually enjoyed.

Yes, I identify with that as I can remember being referred to as a “Hippy” back in the day because of my “long” hair.  Of course, I would never have been described as such by those who actually were….  And, of course, it’s certainly not a problem now.

​Of course, a major difference between MY generation and the current one was the lack of “social media.”  The more I think about it, though, the more I doubt that we ever felt the loss.

Social media is, of course, a product of the ABSOLUTE NEED for INSTANT CONNECTION to EVERYONE at ALL TIMES, brought to us by the “magic” of the cell phone.  Am I the only one who isn’t convinced that this is not necessarily a positive trend?  After all, there’s a good deal of truth in THIS picture!

Go ahead.  Call me “old-fashioned,” but I don’t go into a rest room to listen to your phone call and I’d really rather that you conduct your “phone business” someplace else!
​
I don’t think of myself as a complete Luddite, but I also don’t think that something is automatically better just because it’s new(er).  I DO have (and actually use) a GPS device in my car(s), although I have to admit that I sometimes find it unnerving in it’s vocal comments.  For example, I ran across this statement somewhere not long ago:  “I felt uncomfortable driving into the cemetery.  The GPS blurted out ‘You have reached you final destination.’”

Perhaps it’s just the choice of phrasing, but I think the GPS makers MIGHT be able to find a better way to have their devices phrase this.
​Then there’s also the fact that I can do (at least have done a good many times) things which those who want to hold my age against me are apparently not able to do.  Witness THIS sign, for example.

How can you claim to be even remotely competent to serve as a valet parking attendant if you have no ability to drive a stick shift?  I realize that there are fewer of them on the road today than there used to be, but really.

Oh, well, I know I’m getting old, and I’m TRYING to accept it with some amount of grace, but it’s not always easy.  Life has a habit of sneaking up on you when you don’t expect it.  I mean, this (below) is what they say is supposed to happen, but it hasn’t worked for me yet, at least not reliably…

I do have to admit that, whether you believe him or not, Dumbledore did understand one thing about growing older.

After all, “One can never have enough socks.”

​There’s also the fact that, like many “olders,” I do (on occasion) catch myself (as I do something foolish) wondering…

Still,

I’ll be back….  And, I’ll probably do this again sometime.

🖖🏼 LLAP,

Dr. B
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”  
                                                                                                                                                                                    — Nelson Mandela
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic; capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”                                                                                        ― Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows