Oh dear – it isn’t easy getting old gracefully

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When does anyone really start to feel or admit they are old ?

As far as I remember, in my mind as a teenager, seniors and old folks were those in their 40s.

When I was in my 20s, seniors were those in their 50s.

When I was in my 30s, seniors were those in their 60s.

When I was in my 40s, seniors were those in their 70s.

Now I have reached 50, seniors are those in their 80s.

There seem to me a 30 years age gap before one would accept being ‘old’.
(This is one person’s viewpoint.)

Age is so much in the mind and as long as one’s mind is well and active, not many would feel as old as the numbers bestowed on them.

The body grows old with age so the number relates more to the body than the mind.

A 50 year old body may only have a 30 year old mind.

Birthday candles sometimes stop at 21 or some may keep going till they reached 30.

When one reached 40, more often than not, the candles on their cake may be reduced to only 1 instead of 4 (representing 40).

Perhaps if I live up to 80, I may accept being labelled the ‘old lady’ or would my mind then only look at those older folks who live well up to a 100 as the true oldies?

How many of us would live up to a 100 and would many really want that longevity?

As per statistic New Zealand, based on death rates in New Zealand in 2010–12:

  • Life expectancy at birth is 83.0 years for females and 79.3 years for males.

As per statistic Malaysia, 2013

  • Life expectancy at birth is 77.2 years for females and 72.6 years for males.

From these figures, it appears that I may not even accept being old till my last days.

That’s my random thoughts tonight.

______________________________________________________________________

Inspired by Robin Yousef: Oh dear – it isn’t easy getting old gracefully an article published in NZ Herald.

This submission is for Daily Prompt: Ripped from the Headlines

Click over to whatever website you visit most frequently to get news. Find the third headline on the page. Make sure that headline is in your post.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us a CURRENT EVENT.

I am selective on the articles I read and to me,

aging is a CURRENT EVENT – LIFE & STYLE.

______________________________________________________________________

One word of advice, eat healthy, don’t worry, be happy.

Keep your body as young as your mind.

Smile and don’t frown.

Oooops, I thought I said ONE word of advice but

that’s a mouthful.

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

oldcouple

Related articles

Statistics New Zealand

Department of Statistic Malaysia

NZ Herald Article dated 13 Jan 2014 – Oh dear – it isn’t easy getting old gracefully

Littlegirlstory article on ‘Aging gracefully – what it means to you’

 

21 thoughts on “Oh dear – it isn’t easy getting old gracefully”

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    • Thank you for your comments. Indeed it is and i believe as years go by, the topic on aging will reach even a bigger segment of the population as people get more and more conscious of their youth from a much younger age. 😉

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  12. I stopped blowing out birthday candles when I was a teenager. I always thought, “Too old for this”. But in all honesty, every day I tell myself, “I will always, ALWAYS be 12 at heart.” I do act like a kid sometimes, bouncing around with lots of energy and people stare. But so what? Never too old to be young 🙂

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