Random Reflections on Aging
This has been a busy week. A non-stop weekend with my oldest daughter and granddaughter, babysitting my youngest daughter's dog for the week, and a relaxing overnight visit with my dear friend Tracy and her husband. My husband was sick with a cold for the first part of the week; I succumbed Thursday and still feel lousy. Despite that, we travelled three hours by ferry and highway on Friday to visit our oldest daughter and her family. We had not seen our son-in-law since Christmas, and I never pass up an opportunity to spend time with my girls or grandbaby!
So I am tired and sick, and putting words to paper is a struggle this week. Instead, I thought I would share some random reflections on aging.
I applied for my old age pension this week. It takes six to nine months to process applications, so I expect my first check will arrive the month after my 65th birthday, as we are enjoying a walking tour of the Douro Valley in the early fall.
By then, we should be settled into our island home, leaving behind suburban life, my younger daughter and her partner, and many friends. A new beginning as my husband enters retirement, and we develop new rituals and routines.
We visited the island credit union this week to set up bank accounts. Free checks and no banking fees now that we are old! And even an offer of a free $3000 line of credit - which we luckily do not need as the interest rate is 12%!
Other perks of turning 65 include free ferry travel as a passenger from Monday through Thursday - and store discounts! I should have checked those perks out earlier. I recently discovered that the monthly seniors' day at our local pet store is for 55+.
Everyone tells us that the best way to slide into retirement is to get away, so in October, we head to Portugal for two months. We are getting ready for our fall trip with long walks to help us prepare for the many steps we expect to walk. Can I give you a tip here? If you have aches and pains that you think are part of aging - first check with your doctor! My joints were aching last year, and I assumed it was just part of this aging journey. Instead, it was a side effect of a medication I was taking! The doctor prescribed a different drug, and the joint pain disappeared. More recently, I have been worrying about the pain in my knees and whether I can continue walking long distances. I know I have some arthritis in my knees, and I assumed that was the cause of the pain. But it turns out I have patellofemoral pain syndrome - better known as runner’s knee - no, I do not run! Physio, icing and wearing knee braces are now slowly easing the pain.
I find it difficult to believe I turn 65 this year. Age is just a number for me, but occasionally I am astounded that I have lived so long!
Lately, I have been reflecting on when I began to think of myself as an adult. I realized the other day that I now refer to my daughters as my adult children - even though they will always be my babies! I realized I had become an adult at 28, shortly after I got married. My mother mentioned something about my husband driving too fast! I jumped to his defence, and at that moment, I realized that my husband and I were adults, capable of making our own decisions. We had been doing that for a while, but that incident hit home.
This brought me to the question, am I old? I do not consider myself old, even though I am beginning to see signs of aging. Recently I asked the sales clerk to carry the 40-pound bag of cat litter out to my car. I am more aware of my footing as I walk along oceanside cliffs. I have noticed more skin tags and sun spots. And I am more conscientious of scribbling appointments and reminders in my calendar so I don’t forget them - although that is not an age thing but rather a joy of retirement, not having to worry about a schedule!
Sari Bolton from Oldster Magazine says that from the time she was 10, she has been obsessed with what it means to grow older. She is curious about what it means to others and invites them to take “The Oldster Magazine Questionnaire.” You may want to reflect on these questions with me.
Do you feel old for your age? Young for your age? Just right?
What do you like about being your age?
What is difficult about being your age?
What is surprising about being your age, or different from what you expected, based on what you were told?
What has aging given you? Taken away from you?
How has getting older affected your sense of yourself or your identity?
What are some age-related milestones you are looking forward to? Or ones you “missed,” and might try to reach later, off-schedule, according to our culture and its expectations?
Is there someone older than you, who makes growing older inspiring to you? Who is your aging idol and why?
What aging-related adjustments have you recently made, style-wise, beauty-wise, health-wise?
What’s an aging-related adjustment you refuse to make, and why?