Well what about this aged question. Who is old? Who says we are old? Who said we are past our ‘use by date?’ Who set the benchmark? Whoever they are, I say – get a life! I love celebrating birthdays, mine and other peoples. Especially the ‘grandies’ (grandchildren). They are a celebration of life and worthy of acknowledging. |
Someone once said to me that age is just a number and so it is, but it comes with expectations, no matter what number of years we celebrate.
How often have we asked a child what they are going to be when they grow up? We have all at some time wished we were just that little bit older because conventions demand that we have to be a certain age to ‘do things’. I was still asking my parents’ permission to go out on dates at eighteen.
Now 18 year olds can drink at the pub, drive motor vehicles, vote and fight for their country. Goodness, what a lot of responsibility and expectations for that age. Where did maturity kick in that armed them with the wisdom to cope with these responsibilities?
Mind you, having said that, some people are old before their time. My parents were old at 50! But they fitted the conventions of the time. My father was the bread winner for the family, they both bowled, worked for the community and brought up their family. All very conventional and conservative. That was the era and they were the choices they made.
However, at fifty, I was ‘out there’! Travelling overseas with my husband, learning the piano, studying two HSC subjects, supporting the children in their various interests, doing charitable work in the community as well as being a wife, chief cook and mother. My goodness, were the days longer then?
So not everyone fits the mould of expectations. I don’t, and that is my choice and I am loving it. I must add here that my girls, Anne and Catherine make sure I don’t fit the Nanna mould as they are always giving me beauty products, trendy jewelry, mystery trips to Spa Centres and weekends to Tasmania. Not to mention overseeing my choice of dress. If it looks 'nanna', it is not on!!
I am now in my eighties and beginning to believe that 80 is the new 60, although I draw the line at Bungee Jumping!
I ask the question . . . because we are ‘older’ do we value ourselves any less?
The very essence of the uniqueness of who we are has only become richer over those years.
With our age comes a freedom, even if we are confined, possibly restricted, in a body that at times lets us down.
We all have choices we can make. That is our freedom. Are we open to this? Do we have the confidence in ourselves to be open to change and celebrate our years?
What a wonderful thought! Dare to be different.
Evelyn W., Australia
You might also like to read:
http://www.unimedliving.com/ageing/ageing/ageing-to-be-feared-or-lived.html
How often have we asked a child what they are going to be when they grow up? We have all at some time wished we were just that little bit older because conventions demand that we have to be a certain age to ‘do things’. I was still asking my parents’ permission to go out on dates at eighteen.
Now 18 year olds can drink at the pub, drive motor vehicles, vote and fight for their country. Goodness, what a lot of responsibility and expectations for that age. Where did maturity kick in that armed them with the wisdom to cope with these responsibilities?
Mind you, having said that, some people are old before their time. My parents were old at 50! But they fitted the conventions of the time. My father was the bread winner for the family, they both bowled, worked for the community and brought up their family. All very conventional and conservative. That was the era and they were the choices they made.
However, at fifty, I was ‘out there’! Travelling overseas with my husband, learning the piano, studying two HSC subjects, supporting the children in their various interests, doing charitable work in the community as well as being a wife, chief cook and mother. My goodness, were the days longer then?
So not everyone fits the mould of expectations. I don’t, and that is my choice and I am loving it. I must add here that my girls, Anne and Catherine make sure I don’t fit the Nanna mould as they are always giving me beauty products, trendy jewelry, mystery trips to Spa Centres and weekends to Tasmania. Not to mention overseeing my choice of dress. If it looks 'nanna', it is not on!!
I am now in my eighties and beginning to believe that 80 is the new 60, although I draw the line at Bungee Jumping!
I ask the question . . . because we are ‘older’ do we value ourselves any less?
The very essence of the uniqueness of who we are has only become richer over those years.
With our age comes a freedom, even if we are confined, possibly restricted, in a body that at times lets us down.
We all have choices we can make. That is our freedom. Are we open to this? Do we have the confidence in ourselves to be open to change and celebrate our years?
What a wonderful thought! Dare to be different.
Evelyn W., Australia
You might also like to read:
http://www.unimedliving.com/ageing/ageing/ageing-to-be-feared-or-lived.html