A Favorite Post

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Aging, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

This yard ornament made me think of Florida.  Florida made me think of old people. Old people made me think of me.

I went into my town hall the other day to renew my annual beach permit. Usually, it's $25 for the year. This year however, it was only $5.  It seems I get the senior citizen discount.  In the mail, I received my monthly copy of the AARP magazine.  This week is my 45-year anniversary of graduating from high school. My first social security check is expected by the beginning of next month.

These events have led me to an unmistakable conclusion.  I am, both mathematically and by society standard, an old man.  How can this be?  It seems like it was just yesterday that I became old enough to shave, or drive a car, or buy beer, or vote in elections.  I don't feel like an old man. Reluctantly though, I concede that I do look like one - gray hair, spots on the back of my hands, wild eyebrow and ear hairs, increasingly forgetful.......you get the idea.




I read that GenX and Millennials now outnumber us Baby Boomers. How can that be? We Boomers ruled the world and were going to fix everything - but we didn't, and now we can't. Every generation gradually passes into irrelevance. I guess our turn has come.

I think I'll take a walk and think about it some.

Visual Definition: dreary - wet, windy, cold, and gray - notice there is only one person walking on the beach (besides me). Sensible folks are at home or work.

The silver lining to dreary days, however, is the light - it is shadow-less and the colors are deeply saturated - I like that.

Getting old really isn't such a bad thing - it certainly is better than the alternative.

Note: all images made with my cellphone.


No comments:

Post a Comment