When I think about my own age, I don’t really care what the number is. I’m 46 and just getting better with age. However, every now and again I am surprised by the ages of those around me. My bother-in-law will be 60 shortly. I have known this for a while (obviously) but when my niece told me that they were throwing a party for his 60th birthday it surprised me. He doesn’t seem 60. He is an amazing man who has been a wonderful addition to our family. He’s been a part of my life since I was 9. I respect him a lot and when I think of him I don’t think of his age but of how good he is in our family.
His turning 60 though is sort of the beginning of a cascade of “big” birthdays for our family. My mom will be 80 next year. My oldest sister will be 60, husband 50, oldest daughter 30, youngest daughter 25… Lots of mile markers.
For me – maybe because those numbers don’t mean much – I don’t think of them as being a particular age but just them. The person I love and enjoy being with. I know that others struggle with the numbers and how it makes them feel old (or whatever) but I just consider these people to be getting better and better…
I just turned 57 and last night… I looked into the bathroom mirror and felt shocked. I don't look like I feel! Must be a baby boomer thing. I feel in my 30's and every time I peer into that mirror, I am shocked at what I see. Some 57 yr old matronly looking woman looking back at me. I feel as though I am caught in some sort of time warp. (wriggles my hips and begins screaming, "Let's do the time warp again!")
Mirrors may reflect how we look but often times our perception of what is in the mirror is skewed. It is hard when you look in the mirror to not be critical – but I look at it this way. I'm not not scaring the neighborhood children so it's all good… 🙂