Almost there! The final part of my series on aging and wellness, the five previous posts can be found in the 6 to 60 category here.
Like many anticipated events it will come and go quickly. Greetings from those close and far away will keep the day bubbling. After all is said and done though the reality of age lingers behind.
I’ve spent a lot to time lately contemplating what it actually means to be old. For me physically there are things I can’t do that I used to. I’m slower to recover after long days of work or exercise. I worry more when something hurts and just doesn’t feel 100%. I get tired easier, especially when travel is involved.
I notice the simpler my routine is the better. I’ve gotten kind of stingy about not wanting to change certain weekly patterns, like hiking on Sunday or having Friday afternoon free to catch up anything overlooked in the week.
There are many parts of getting old that seem literally so cliché but yet become reality. The complaints about aches and pains, appearing more like a father or mother, contemplating how to do less and of course the most unspoken event of all dying. The fact of knowing more than half your life is behind you is quite humbling.
Age forces you to think about past decisions and choices made along the path. I think one of the more challenging aspects is to let go of self-criticism about the past. As our Dad used to say “should of, could of, would of, doesn’t get stuff done” (he might of used another word for stuff!).
That in and of itself is my new motto for life beyond 60. I still want to get stuff done. Not in an “oh my god I have so little time to finish that bucket list” but in a simple manner, keep trying to achieve small goals. Maybe learn a new exercise, write a book, visit an old friend or take a day off.
I don’t see 60 as the new 40 it’s much more challenging. The only way to put it is you become vulnerable. I guess the simplest tool I’ve found is to accept that fact but not let it overwhelm me. That’s when I’m thankful for all the years of physical training that continue to support me in all aspects of life.
Probably if there is one tip I have for getting old it is find ways to move. Find anything that rocks your boat and stick with it. The more you love it the less chance you’ll leave it behind. You can’t change getting old but you can alter the path.
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”
Robert Frost
