GET OLD? NOT ME

This morning, I was sitting by the front window, in the sun, enjoying the greenhouse effect, and reading Cormac McCarthy. 

Ah, old age. When would you ever take the time to relax before?  

Almost never. I've never been the relax type. I've always heard the clock ticking in the back of my head. Don't unwind for a minute, or you might lose out. You might not get everything done. You might not get that story written, or that novel, or get your kid to school on time.

But now, in your old-fartage, you have a little time to unwind.

You appreciate more and more the little things in life. I was looking at the blue sky speckled with white clouds and thinking how beautiful it is.

The muscles in my back were tight and achy, so I lay down and massaged my back on a foam roll on the floor. Then I did my neck exercises.

Boring to read about, but wonderful to do.

When you're young, you never think you are going to get old. You look at successful writers, or businessmen, or whatever your field is, and you want to be like them, or kick their ass.

But you never look at a white-haired old fart, hard of hearing, with wrinkles and jowls and a turkey-wattle neck, and say to yourself, you know, I'm going be just like that some day.

Nobody does that. No one wants to face it or imagine it. And yet that is exactly what happens.

There are good things about old age: lower expectations, fewer things to prove, fewer women to chase (wait, is that good?), fewer jobs to look for, fewer asses to kiss. 

Most of our trials and struggles are behind us old farts. 

So enjoy it while you can. Make hay while the sun shines, as we used to say in Kansas.

There is just one more challenge to face, after you finish your novels, or whatever your life's work is, and you do what you can to make sure your kids are going to be OK:

You get ready for the great beyond, the great mystery. To go where every man or woman goes, sooner or later, rich or poor, stupid or wise, healthy or infirm.

I don't know what's out there, none of us do. I'm not happy about it. I used to think I was OK with it, but not these days. I have more things I want do. A million more.

And I don't want to give up any of them. I don't want to miss a thing.

-- Roger

© Copyright 2011, Roger R. Angle