Old people

Being old is something that you never think is going to happen but then it does.

I don't really see any advantages to it, compared to being 25 for example.

Depends on definition of old really...
There are some very well preserved ole crumblies who get loads from a life well lived
Equally there are creaky crumblies who struggle wit the burden of years..
A number should not define age...its quality not quantity thats important

Age takes a toll ... stuff begins to wear out ... but if you're fortunate enough to enjoy good health and remain active, the great advantage can be lots of free time.

But the fact is getting old is a privilege that many don't get to enjoy, so we ought to try and embrace it ... and have fun.

Getting old has no fears for me ... getting sick and infirm at any age does.

Rog

As already said, it’s not age it’s health that counts. Ali often reminds me that when we were courting, I always said I’d be dead by 50. Spent my youth racing around on bikes and thought of myself as Marlon. Now I’m 50+ and yep, still here, still racing around on bikes..still drinking to much. Still alive and loving life. A few more aches here and there, but always had them when young( I fell off quite a lot). Now, I wonder, is it ok to have cake for breakfast?

Last week at Anderton, the Pirate boat was moored next door doing a roaring trade.

We had a 99 each for breakfast

Cake's nearly healthy eating !

Rog

I think different people grow old and adapt to age differently.
The one positive I can see in myself from getting older is that I can see more clearly what an egotistical tit I was in my 20s and 30s.
Not a nasty tit, but a significant tit nonetheless- in terms of being overly concerned about how I looked, whether I sounded smart- all that stuff.
Style over substance. So I guess age usually brings regrets, but also it brings more self-recognition, and I'm much more inclined to state things functionally in recent years, instead of concerning myself about whether my language and presentation was interesting or entertaining enough.
I think some older people take that tendency for straight talking rather further than I personally would like, but each to their own.
Physically its seldom good news getting old of course. Things you get away with when younger can start to make their toll felt.
Touch wood, even at 57 I've so far got no signs of serious illnesses- but health disasters of all kinds can strike at any time of course, and I think older folks need to make sure we get regular check-ups (I say that, but I foolishly haven't visited a GP in ten years).
Having worked a desk based job for three decades, and not exercised enough or eaten well enough in that time, I've probably got some issues headed my way in the coming years, but I'm planning to make some major changes to my lifestyle in the hope of postponing the likely impending problems.

In my mind at least, approaching 60 has brought a realism to something I've known all my life- which is that our days are numbered.
We know it in a theoretical sense when we're 30, but its so far away it doesn't figure in our thoughts much at all.
I think when approaching 60, our limited lifespan looms more prominently and regularly in our thoughts.
We actually start to seriously think about what might happen on the day we become effectively immobilised by health issues- or are gone forever.
Shit gets real, so to speak.

Personally, I don't dwell that much on what lies ahead, other than I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get another 15-20 years or so of being reasonably mobile and healthy. But I'm not counting those particular chickens, which is one reason why I took a bit of a financial hit to retire a few years early, and get some 'me' time in, whilst I still can.