To grow old gracefully. What does that really mean?
. When I think of that saying I think of the Queen of England. Possibly she is growing old gracefully who knows. She certainly looks it! I thought that I would do that. To me "growing old gracefully" meant that I was going to try to fight growing old, by being graceful about it. How do you do that?
I should've thought about that when I was about 20 years old. When I was 20 I was getting married and then started having children and didn't think about getting old. My generation was more about starting a career or a family. Nothing on TV about exercising or diets or healthy foods to prepare. Heck all the TV ads were for cigarettes. Possibly if 60 yrs ago there was a lot of what we see now on tv with all kinds of meds and creams and workout tapes and on and on, I would not today at 81 be overweight, have wrinkles, arthritis and sometimes wonder what day it is. At least would have tried
maybe back then.
Growing old gracefully is definitely not for the old people. We don't like it, we don't want it, but what is the alternative. How many times have people my age said that? The Golden Years, just love that.
No, I must admit there are many elders,(hate the word "old people") unlike me who are doing more. They are going out more, joining gyms, joining clubs, volunteering going on walks, or just walking to the mailbox, getting involved. Great! Cheers!
Some people who are way over the age of getting Social Security, have to take medial jobs just to live. We are all not healthy beings and some look like they should be home being graceful.
I envy those who you see in the videos dancing or doing exercise routines or can bend their legs over their heads and do all kinds of mobile stuff at 90 yrs old, but that's not me. I wish my adult children understood that. IT IS NOT ME!
Me, I'm a sitter. I love to watch movies on the TV. I love to do artwork in my journals. I do Crafts, write blogs, poetry and make up stories and this is all done in the sitting position. I am not afraid of the computer or the internet.
So my point is, about growing old gracefully, I am my own Queen of England. You may not see me out and about, you may not see me taking walks, but my own luxury of being graceful is exactly what I'm doing now. Doing what I want to do and at my speed.
If you are over 70 try to be as graceful as you can but at your speed, because you may be a little slower later on. Then again, maybe not.
Ahh, Good Post Diane. I'll be 65 in just a couple of weeks. I wish I had an exercise routine, but there is that bone spur on top of my big toe knuckle that makes my foot hurt when I walk and causes me to limp a bit. I'll be having that taken cared of this winter. And then there is the sciatic issue. And the weight thing...well I might be able to control it better if I could just give up creamer in the pot of coffee I drink everyday. What happened to the daydream that I would be able to travel when I retired? Well, Terry's health nipped THAT in the bud. So I am satisfied to do just what I want to do, when I want to do it and hope I die on the same day as Terry so neither of us is left alone. My kids don't get it. We are a little hard of hearing. We don't follow their detailed long stories as well as we used to and don't remember them the next day when we get MORE details. And NO, I don't want to babysit your dogs while you go off to Beliz...if you can afford to go you can afford a kennel stay!! You dogs will get over it.
ReplyDeleteYou really need to post more. You always have something to say that I can relate to. I had no IDEA you were so OLD, lol.
xx, Carol
Carol it is hysterical to read your reply. Especially the dog babysitting, I dont do that but my dog goes with me even if it was to Beliz. lol and remember "Elder" not "Old"
ReplyDeleteI was never graceful, and that trait will not suddenly become part of my mystique. But I will plough through life doing what I want to do as long as I can, ungraceful as it may be. Or look!
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