Tim and I can’t keep straight how old we are. We are three weeks apart in age, so when he gets it screwed up, I get confused too! When Jon was born in January, 1987 we were going to be 30 on our next birthday. Everything Jon has done has been 30 years after we did it. For example, we graduated high school in 1975, he graduated in 2005.
When the new year rolls around and Jon is about to turn whatever age, Tim adds 30 and he then becomes that age. So when Jon turned 12, Tim turned 42 at the same time in his mind. However, when months later Tim’s real birthday came along, in his mind he then became 43. Doubling up like that will age you in a hurry!
I went to a funeral today, something I seem to do with growing frequency. The sad part is, these people aren’t that old. One was 48, another 60, the friend today 66. My mom was only 81. (I say “only” because yesterday we ate Thanksgiving dinner with Tim’s dad who is 91 and I walked home from the funeral today with a neighbor who is in her late 80’s.)
There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to any of this. I see people who live a regimented lifestyle, eat right, exercise and then they are gone, just like that. I see others who drink, smoke and do whatever and they are still acting up into their old age. It makes no sense.
It seems like I have been saying I was 60 for a couple of years now. It was partly because of Tim’s multiple birthday problem and partly because it was just a nice round number to latch onto. Now that I actually am 60 (or almost, I think) I have decided to just stay there for awhile. (I know I was supposed to stop at 29 or 39, but I have told you before I am a little slow!)
I mean, what difference does it make. Some days I get up and feel 100 (and I look it!) but most days I get up and feel 20 (and don’t look it, but I look a little better than those 100 year old days!) I have energy and feel like tackling the world. I forget I am an old woman and dance around the house or rearrange the furniture or garden for hours.
And then my back reminds me I am not 20, or my shoulder is sore and reminds me that I am not a youngster, or a friend dies and I am reminded that my time gets closer every day.
At the funeral today, the minister spoke about how our friend had been so loyal and caring. He told us to go out in her legacy and do all that we could while we could. I think that is what I try to do, but I don’t always succeed. It is what I try to write about here, working at being the best we can be.
I have a little sign in my office that is a quote from Erma Bombeck. It says “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I have not a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.'”
I am just going to stay at 60 for now, because it really doesn’t matter what the calendar says, it matters how I feel. It matters what I do. It matters that I have so much I want to accomplish and thinking about how old I am doesn’t get that done. It matters that I have people I love today. It matters that I have things to get excited about and to celebrate today. It matters that I get up with a purpose each day.
So I’ll just pick 60 and stay there.
