AGING OR GETTING OLD, THE BOOMER CHOICE

Do You Know The Difference? Let’s Take A Shot.

Aging makes things better.

Aged cheese is better than Velveeta.

Wine from a certain year is better than yesterday’s Night Train.

Beer is better aged than green.

Barrel aged whiskey is better than fresh squeezed white lightning.

Aged beef? I’d like to hear more about it before I make the call.

Who doesn’t love the look antique furniture adds to a space.

From food and drink to furniture, we like aging. But how about when we look in the mirror?

Our image changes so much over time that we see things never imagined. Sometimes it comes with a little help.

Sit with your partner and open an old family photo album. If it’s your side of the family you can expect comments from your loved one. They might seem loving, but that’s not the point here.

“I never noticed before, but you’ve got your Grandpa’s nose.”

You don’t need to hear that while you’re looking at old pictures.

“Did you know your ears keep growing all your life?”

They’re not saying you’ll look like Dumbo in a few years, but the image of Uncle Ralph, the one you’ve been compared to all your life, says you might.

Once you get into hairlines, you must be strong.

“You’re Dad was nearly bald by your age. What are you complaining about?”

Try explaining hair loss as a slow moving tragedy and you’ll be laughed out of the room.

Most family albums don’t have notes in the margins. No mention of a maximum bench press, mile time, or vertical jump. If someone included the numbers you’d wonder if you had family members on the farm, or the NFL Combine.

Aging is build into our biology. If we don’t age, it means we’re dead. That’s how the march of time works.

On the other hand, getting old is often used as a convenient excuse. If you’re one of those who change things around, then say, “Because I’m getting old,” when asked why, you might be more lazy than old.

You’re asked to join a group hike. You decline because you’re too old?

Someone makes reservations at a new restaurant. You beg off, saying you’re too old.

Do it often enough and you’ll make everyone around you sad. If you’re too old to go out and do things, they might be too old too. They’ve just never thought of it like that.

Baby boomers keep up a good front, and boomerpdx thanks them. You’re an inspiration to staying strong when you feel like taking a nap. You keep others on their toes with your enthusiasm.

And you’re aging every day just like younger people, except you can tell it’s happening and they can’t. Yet.

How do you connect with the ‘getting old’ crowd and convince them they’re not any older than you, that they’re younger than you?

Don’t start by pumping up and flexing and saying things like, “I can’t get on an airplane anymore, not with these guns.”

Try not to pull up your shirt to show your starter kit six pack. The two pack is nice, but no one counts them as awesome. They’ll ask why you don’t work out enough to collect the other four and you’ll say something rude.

Start slow by talking about easy activities you’ve done. Explain the similarities between the handicap parking space and the princess parking space and why you look for places far enough away to get in a short walk.

Start a balance game with someone in the same room. Stand in front of them with your feet wide apart. Grip one of their hands and try to push or pull them enough to move their feet.

It’s the same playground game kids used to do. Maybe they still do. Now you do to. You’re not too old to play. Aging says don’t knock someone over while you play because the hurt stays hurt longer.

Be a good sport and have fun. If you start slow and aim toward a goal, you’ll get there.

Take another look at the image at the top. It’s a surfer. Would you like to learn how to surf? No? Then why not use the sport as a fitness tool.

One thing surfers need lots of is balance. Use the surfer statue as balance practice. You’re not too old for that.