After painfully making my way to our study this morning; the coffee made and a cup of it in my hand, I was reflecting once again on aging. Why not? It’s what I seem to be doing these days. Aging and reflecting.
As a society, we don’t prepare ourselves very well for aging. When we are growing up, we learn only from observation and a few whispered comments. The reality that we all age is kept from us. Nana tells us she was once a little girl, but we really don’t believe. Getting bigger. Becoming a teenager. Getting married and having a career and children are all worthy goals when we are younger. Aging isn’t even mentioned. But if we were smart, we would realize that it’s the children. That’s the big as life clue that we aren’t going to be around forever. That we are aging.
But even as we reach middle age, the realities of elderhood are kept from us or ignored when observed. When it can’t be ignored, we make jokes. We sell – we buy and receive cheerfully, black balloons. We dispense platitudes. But ‘Save something for a rainy day’ just doesn’t cut it anymore.
So why don’t we tell our children and our grandchildren? Why aren’t there classes in high school about this inevitable ‘fact of life’? Afraid they can’t take it? The truth? Might we not have a better society if we all knew?
Well, where did all of that gloomy reflection come from? Is it because I’m going to be 68 in a few more weeks? Or is it because we watched the movie, ‘The Bucket List’ last night?
OK, in today’s world, 68 is not old. If I were to die today, most would say that I was ‘awfully young to go like that’. But 70 and 70+ – now that’s getting into an acceptable age bracket. People can safely say, ‘well, he had a good long life.’ and others will nod their heads in agreement.
Hah! What do they know about ‘long’ and how ‘good’ it was? I guess you should have asked.
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