Not That Old

/ Ann Coleman

DSC01337At age fifty-seven, I have finally figured out that I am no longer young.  I have accepted the sags and wrinkles; I own (and use) at least six pairs of reading glasses, and I am no longer surprised when I wake up in the morning and there’s always something, somewhere on my body, that hurts.  I am fully aware that tucking in my shirts is no longer a good look for me, and the only thing I’m looking for when I buy a new swimming suit is maximum coverage and strong elastic.  On the upside, I’ve got a much stronger sense of self than I ever had before, and I care less about what others think of me with each passing day.  In short, I have embraced the fact that I have moved from “young” into “middle aged” and have actually learned to appreciate this phase of my life.  I’m just not ready to be “old.”

Which is why I get alarmed when I find myself sometimes thinking, talking and acting like an old person.  I hate it when I walk into a store at the mall and my first thought is, “Can someone please turn that darn music down?”  I hate it when I’m on vacation, deciding where to go for dinner, and I find myself checking out the “Early Bird Specials” because the prices are so much better if I can talk my husband into eating dinner at 4:30 in the afternoon.  And I especially hate it when a young clerk at the checkout counter takes one look at me and automatically gives me the Senior Citizen Discount.

I feel so very old when I’m reading posts on Facebook that contain random abbreviations that everyone but me seems to understand.  I had to google “smh” to figure out that it means “shaking my head.”  And then, of course, I wondered why in the world would so many people feel the need to tell others they are shaking their heads?  And if it really is so very necessary, why don’t they just come out and say so in plain English, rather than use those annoying little asterisks and obscure initials?  (And if that last sentence doesn’t make me sound old, I don’t know what does.)

It’s a bit jarring to realize that I have lived long enough to see the clothing styles from my youth making a comeback.  Yesterday, I saw a newscaster wearing a dress that would have been completely in style when I was in high school…back in the mid 1970s.  And terms from my youth, like “hipster” and “kiddos” are back with a vengeance.  Isn’t that only supposed to happen to old people?

Still, I am only fifty-seven, which means I’m not actually an old person yet.  I just need to accept that from now on, there are always going to random incidents or moments that make me feel older than I  want to be.  Things such as getting invited to my 40th high school reunion, seeing toys from my childhood in an antique mall, or worse, looking at myself in the bathroom mirror first thing in the morning before I have washed my face or run a comb through my hair.  I’ve got to remember to stop doing that…

38 thoughts on “Not That Old”

  2. Well, I connected with you on every count, but you forgot the liquor store and how (in the back of our minds) we still wonder if they’re gonna card us…(and right now I’m shaking my head!) 🙂

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  3. Yep, I can also relate, though still not willing to accept the “old” label, middle age maybe. The sore legs and wrinkles don’t help though, neither do the memory lapses, walking up the stairs and forgetting what I went up for! Or looking for my sun glasses, that are perched on top of my head! 🙂

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  4. I know what you mean. It’s crazy how I got here. But…I also treasure the years. I’m finally starting to realize I’m finally gaining some wisdom….as I sit at work surrounded by younger folks–my years allow me to reflect on things as they do their things! 🙂

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  9. Love this post, Ann! My reminders of how I’m getting older usually come when I see myself in a photograph. It’s funny how as we age, emotionally and psychologically we feel stronger, more confident, and more in touch with who we are, but physically, yes, things go downhill a little. It reminds me of the expression, “Youth is wasted on the young.” Thanks for sharing your adventure in aging!

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  10. I think that the gaining wisdom part of the equation makes up for everything else. I frequently work with groups of young people, and after a couple of hours in their company I always feel glad I am the age that i am now (I’m not entirely certain why that is, though!).

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  11. Lol…I love when your posts are laced with subtle humor. I wonder if it’s intentional or just your way of speaking the truth..:) In either case it’s very honest and entertaining😊

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  13. Your humor is always a pleasure to read! I can relate to these experiences but I think my daughter at 52 is beginning to also. Having children drifting into middle age makes me feel old. But old is always ten years older that your age! Keep up the good writing! There are some good perks for getting older.

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  14. Haha, I enjoyed this and can relate to every word. I, too, am not ready to be ‘old’ just yet. My main bone of contention though is looking in the mirror and seeing my mother! 🙂

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  15. I’m a few years ahead of you in my mid-60s and most of this could be me (though I’ve come to terms with the abbreviations), but what makes me feel incredibly old is the way doctors are so damn young now. Last doctor I saw, I wondered if he had even been through medical school! As for looking in the mirror – always a mistake. New wrinkles abound.

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