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How old are you, is it brain age, the face that's mirrored, or the age others perceive you?
I entered a large store that sells all food items, huge place that has my mouth-watering as I walk around with Linda as she shops for our needs. It was my turn to dig for the debt card and at the till a supervisor came over and swiped a card passed the reader, “What you up to?” my question, “Pensioners day today we give you 5% discount.” the polite answer, “What do I look so old?” my retort. “Shut-up, we need the discount, you old …..” Linda's instruction. I preferred the supervisors answer “No sir, young actually, but we know you're a pensioner” what a polite young person, managed to stroke my ego in a way that I nearly believed her.
Do we feel as old as we actually look, have the years in the sun made us seem much older, or are the years now telling? Are we the proverbial dog chasing the car not knowing what to do with it when we catch it?
The face that stares back at me in the mirror every morning, when I have to shave those grey speckles that seem to grow over night, frightens me. Is that really me, that half bald, baggy eyed old man. Have I not just struggled hard enough to stand up from the bed, to stretch the muscles that seem to have lost their ability to work? Must this old man in the mirror look back at me with such disdain and disgust.
“Linda, get in here please” will some mornings have her coming with concern for my well-being, “Who the hell is that?” I will ask pointing at the mirror. “God, Love (she calls me that, don't know why, maybe that early in the morning she can't remember my name) one day you going to call me because something is wrong and I'm going to ignore you.” her chiding retort.
There are those mornings when I'm not sure what the name is of the face looking back at me, and when I warn him to go with finger-pointing and fist shaking, he just gives it back. One of these days he will push me too far and I'll really hit him. However, a shave, wash and hair brush (of the few left) returns that face I recollect as belonging to me.
For a man there is nothing nicer than seeing a pretty face, and when I see one I point her out to Linda, on occasions she even points one out to me. I think she worries I may no longer care or might have missed seeing one. Her words “If you stop looking, I'll get worried.” She should join me in the bathroom everyday, she might understand why sometimes I do miss a pretty face, it's because the good-looking one that greeted me every morning for years left a long time ago.
A short check list for men to discover if you are not as young as you think;
- do you get up once or more times in the middle of the night to go to the toilet;
- do you awake before the alarm clock goes off in the morning;
- do you chase a good-looking women down the shopping centre, bit wonder what you would do with her if you caught her; (be honest now this is not an ego test)
- do you struggle keeping up with that good-looker;
- are there hairs growing in places you've never had hairs grow before;
- are there muscles paining where you never knew you had;
- the temptation to go for a run or walk, are often avoided by quickly sitting and switching on the TV telling yourself there was something you wanted to watch;
- you no longer wash the car yourself, you now take it to the cleaners;
- your spare tyre above your pants belt considered hard-work and earned;
- the wife's so much more forgiving than she was. (sign she might be getting old)
Thanks Connie, with the articles you're writing I'm glad to hear old age is not yet catching you up. I would be worried if they were.
Thanks C4rmen, like my picture, every one thinks its Sean Connery, when its really me.
Oh, my! Signs of aging. Here I thought I was getting younger... blessings, Cynthia
Damn, did you have to bring that one up, I do that type thing all the time. Running around the house trying to find my cell phone that is in my hand.
Not sure how to respond to this one. I enjoyed your take on increasing years. I can relate to most of them, my alarm clock is a wet nose so there's no way to oversleep that one. Hairs, yup, I'm wondering though why you would take a car to the cleaner. They do a nice job on my shirts but I don't think they could get a car in that washing machine. You missed one telling one though. When the weather changes, your bones talk louder. During a storm they actually scream. Thanks for sharing.
In our country we have car cleaners, young fellows with a sponge and duster, that do in some cases a very good dry clean if your not watching, and then take your money and what ever else you left in the car, and still charge you for it. What would you call that if not being taken to the cleaners? The bones and joints I specially left out, to allow you an article on old age. LOL.
OLD ?? ME?? Never !!!!!!!!! Wiser - yes !............................But old..no. I want to live to 100 yrs.......so that I can carry my wisdom to my grand children. Thanks for the article Rob and the sense of humour, good to giggle. :)
Thanks Ronnie as I said lower down I'm still 21 in the brain, and that must stay constant. with 7 grand children I am already passing on my wisdom, hopefully they will reciprocate with all this new techno stuff I have trouble keeping up with.
I was 20 years old and thinking that in the year 2000 I will be forty, it seemed to be a life time away, here it is 2012 and I am past 40 and the hair on my head has been replanted to my back (not fair).... yes it is very strange looking back on our youth as it has slipped away and see ourselves changing (getting older) is it a good thing or bad....i guess it really depends on the individual.....go with the flow....evryday we get older and a few more hairs turning up in strange places and of course I cannot hold printed things out far enough anymore to read them anymore....is that the defining moment it sort of was for me....I used to thread a needle in a second the hole looked big to me...now I cannot see the damn needle never mind thread it....we will all have out moments that tell us we are old or are getting old.....change can be good and getting older is no stranger than being born it is life.....one comes one goes.....the circle of life....thats my take....
Tim you have me laughing, your hair on your head is replanted on your back I get the picture of a man with a receding hair line, I'm going to ask him if it is reestablishing itself on his back. I'm afraid to let you into a secret it goes even lower than the back as time goes on, the next thing you'll know your backside is going to be hairy. Shortening of the arms a disease of ageing, I now need to stand the book on a shelf and stand back, the problem in stores people come and stand between me and the book I'm looking at. Thread a needle, forget it, if it needs repair just wear it, who gives a hoot. A good take to have, the circle of life, as long as the brain stays 21 for as long as possible.
I'm the wife and I am way more forgiving these days. I also found my first gray hair. Thank you for the article Rob :)
Oh good for you Stacy more forgiving is good even when young. Grey hairs are only a sign of intelligence, so never worry you are now getting wise.
Rob, what do you think beauty cream is all about? Not plastic surgery, not botox, but vitamin stuff that revitalizes the skin. Yes sir, better than ever. It's what you are thinking, not what you look like. And you can look wonderful at any age. I think having a few rings around the trunk is attractive. Keep the mind active, stay excited about life, and age is only a number. People are starting to live well beyond 100, so we have to change our attitudes about age. I have a good friend who just turned 90. She is interested in everything and is a dare devil. Loves motorcycles, piloting planes, and thrill rides. And she's interested in new ideas, all ideas. My aunt is 96 and just as vibrant. Don't worry about age Rob. You're just fine. Just keep doing.
I agree entirely Joan, one thing for sure my brain age is still 21 and as long as it has no birthdays I'm fine. When it starts to age then I'll worry. There have been a few articles that had me thinking some of the authors needed a perk up, I hope it works.
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