OK, the first thing I have to say is that I think (and many others do, too!) that the word “old” is relative!
When you are 5 years old and you look at Mom and Dad, you think they are OLD!
When you are 18 years old and graduating, someone in their 30’s is the next generation!
When you are 30 years old, you think it will be forever before you turn 50!
How about when you hit that 50 mark? Don’t you think that you are still invincible? That you aren’t old yet?
Heck, yes!
Maybe it was because I had such a great role model when I was growing up, but age is relative to me! That saying “you are only as old as you feel” is such a golden nugget. WHY would you LET yourself “feel” old if you still have plenty of oomph and sass in you? If you start “feeling” like you are getting old, make the necessary changes. Take charge of your life!
My grandmother on my dad’s side was 70 years old and still driving all over the place (and, yes, she had a valid driver’s license!) with her friends on a daily basis. She had to sit on a cushion to see over the driver’s wheel, but nothing was going to stop her from getting to where she needed to be when she felt like it. By golly, she was independent and she let everyone know it!
I remember being around 10 years old when I heard her make the comment to my mom, “Jean, I’m not old! The ones I cart around are the old ones!”
The ones my grandmother “carted” around were her exact age, and a few of them were younger.
You are only as young as you feel! Remember that!
Now Grammy may not have always had the best diet, she loved her sweets and she loved her liquor, not to mention she smoked a pack a day, but she was active until the very end (98 years of experience). She was a first class bargain shopper, she knew the location of every single flea market in the surrounding towns, hit every yard sale EVERY single weekend, and went to clubs on the weekends where she could out dance most of the 20 something’s out there. She was so friendly and outgoing, so outrageous and non stoppable, that no one had a clue how old she was. After all, she certainly didn’t ACT like it!
In her mind, she wasn’t old, so why ACT old? Why let yourself FEEL old?
Moderate exercise certainly helped my Grammy maintain her attitude right up until the age of 98. She walked, and walked, and walked every day! She certainly didn’t let a little thing like age and short legs get the best of her, she was always on the move. I’ve always attributed her attitude and enthusiasm for life as the reason she was always on the go and I truly believe that the exercise kept her happy and motivated for so many years.
Years of experience brings wisdom and contentment in knowing who you are and what you’ve been through. We all have the choice of being happy with what we have or being unhappy and miserable.
Is it easier to smile or is it easier to frown.
Do we make the choice to correct lifetime habits to have a healthier mature life (exercise and/or diet) or do we just give up and say “it’s supposed to be like this when you get old” and give up on having a productive and enjoyable life? Just because you are getting more mature doesn’t mean that you still don’t have lots and lots of things to look forward to, to enjoy, and to appreciate.
I don’t know about you, but, me? I’m going to be like my Grammy and go out singing and dancing and having a grand old party every day of my life!
Won’t you join me?
Michelle :)
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