I admit, I might have grumbled once or twice about getting old ever since I turned thirty. As time goes on, it’s hard not to notice that my youth is swiftly becoming an artifact of the past. The music that once defined my formative years as a teenager is now being played on classic rock radio stations.
The cartoons that I once loved as a child are now being “rebooted” by Hollywood into bloated, unwatchable, nostalgia-driven wank fests.
Young people are using weird slang terms like “YOLO“, and I have to resort to Google searches to understand what the hell they’re talking about.
Every week on my Facebook News Feed, friends of mine are always announcing a marriage engagement, or the birth of a new baby. And speaking of my Facebook News Feed, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t see somebody posting a meme-inspired graphic lamenting the fact that the age of Franchise X is making them feel old by proxy.
Getting old is just a part of life, although I suppose it’s only natural for people to lament the loss of youth. I might grumble occasionally now that my teenage years, and my decade of being a carefree twenty-something have come and gone, but I know deep down that I really don’t have much cause to complain. Nobody relishes the eventuality of white hair, a slower metabolism, or a less able body — but chances are, most of us would rather put up with the trappings of advanced age versus a youthful, untimely death.
There is absolutely no shame in not having died yet. I guarantee you that if somebody put a gun to your head right now and started counting backwards from ten, you would probably blurt out something along the lines of, “No, please, I don’t want to die.” That’s because getting old is fine. It’s just fine.
Although life has a tendency to overstay its welcome on occasion, I think our lives would be a little nicer if we spent more time celebrating our remaining breaths instead of fretting over the amount of breaths we’ve taken prior to this living moment. Life is a gift, after all, so quit your bitching and eat your mush, gramps.
Now where did I put that blood pressure medication of mine?
Screw that! This is proof you made me wait too long to get engaged. I wasted almost my entire youth in my 20’s on your ass, and you waited until I was 31 to propose. Now you blog about how 30 is so freaking old. @#$% YOU!
You see, this is why I blog about Helen Hunt, Diana. She’s much nicer to me.
I can never remember what YOLO means. I forget every time I see it. Getting old is one thing, but I could do without the memory loss.
I feel you on that, Katie. You know what’s even worse about old age though? Memory loss. I could definitely do without that.
I’ve always been a believer that age is but a number. I’m definitely older than I act or, usually, feel. But I see the age differences in key spots in life (job hunt etc.) I’m with you on things like YOLO. It took me looking it up 5-6 times before I finally remembered what it meant. I miss the days of my youth when the big discussions were going to the arcade and who could score the highest on that wild new game Ms. Pac Man.
A man after my own heart! Arcade games had a huge, formative impact on my youth. It’s kind of sad that arcade games have fallen to the wayside now that home gaming consoles are so powerful and conveniently connected to the internet.
By the way…that whole thing about age being nothing but a number is something that old people usually say. Just saying, P.J. 🙂
I’m turning 60 this year, so I have twice the angst! But like you, I’m celebrating every breath. I’m proud of the fact that I’m still able to wrangle 4-year-olds all day long at work. What’s really scary, though, is I’m starting to sound just like my grandma used to, recalling things we didn’t have when I was a kid. (And yes, I really did walk two miles to school in the snow when I was in high school!)
Yes! Celebrate your every breath! I love that turn of phrase. I don’t care if I’m the one who said it first.
I don’t think I could ever walk two miles in the snow just to go to school. That sounds like a cold, wet, educational version of hell.
Life is a gift? Congratulations on reaching the denial stage of your life, Kiddo. 🙂
You know, Nicky, when I grow up, I want to be as sarcastic and bitter as you are now.
I am thinking your blood pressure medicine is right next to my thyroid medicine!
The gray hair. Ugh… and the chin hair… Meleah and I are SO ALIKE!
Oh boy! Let’s do lunch and compare our old people pills and our embarrassing hair growth.
I totally feel you on the getting old part! I can’t really relate otherwise since I’m currently 17.
Oh boy, if 17-year-olds are feeling old in today’s world, then my old decrepit ass is feeling kind of doomed right now.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting, Gina!