Sunday, June 25, 2017

Aging? Who's Aging?

Truth be told, like it or lump it, we all are.

Susan, at e-i-e-i-omg!, using her usual great sense of humor, wrote about the old age bugaboo in a recent post.  She hit the button right on the head and has inadvertently encouraged me to put forth my current feelings on the subject.


In our living room, we have a good-sized mirror over the couch.  The placement of this mirror was not intended for vanity purposes but rather in an effort to fool ourselves into thinking our tiny living room is bigger than it actually is. 

Nonetheless, every time I pass through this area, which is several times a day, I involuntarily find myself glancing in the mirror.  Bad idea.

"Arrrgh," I groan inwardly (and occasionally outwardly) each time my eyes are drawn to my passing image.  Unlike most women who find themselves looking more and more like their mother, I see my father's face looking back at me.  Even though my father was a good-looking man, the first person who says I'm beginning to look just like him may get decked.

Age . . . what is age?  I can easily remember many years ago sitting on my grandmother's lap and asking her how old she was. 

"I'm 56," she replied.  Good gosh, that seemed old.  EL-derly.  Ancient.

Personally, I was never bothered stating my chronological age . . . until I hit the big 7-0.  Now that just sounded old.  Still, I've been fortunate to be in super-duper physical shape and to not feel "old" as I hear many folks professing at the time they hit that milestone.

My mental age blissfully remains somewhere in my late 30s.  I only wish the appearance of my physical body would retain that message.

In the past year (I turned 70 plus 4 this past spring), I've noticed big changes in this temple of a body of mine.

My skin texture is changing.  (I've yet to delve into those ads for eradicating crepey-looking skin, but still.)  I'm beginning to fear this unsightly pooch of tummy fat is going to stick with me forever.  Are the knuckles on my hands growing bigger every day or is it just my imagination?  The aches I experience during the first two weeks of garden work every year have now expanded to two months . . . and counting.  Up until this past year, when I stood with my legs together, the tops of my thighs didn't touch each other.  Not anymore.  From where did that ugly flab come?

Maya Angelou once said (and I'm sure I'm paraphrasing here), "My breasts seem to be in a race to see which one can reach my waistline first.  So far the left one is winning."

I must remember that with aging comes wisdom.  So as my physical body slides into slothdom, it surely means my brain cells are becoming sharp as ticks.

I mean tucks.

No, tacks.  Tacks!  Yes, that's the word I meant to say.

30 comments:

Susan said...

Your thighs are JUST NOW touching?!?!? My gawd, woman! Mine have been kissing cousins for decades! I snortled through the entire post until the end when I went into full blown chortle!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - I knew I could count on you to see the humor in this less than humorous situation!

Rain said...

Mama Pea, you are adorable and funny. This was a great post. I think my girls agree with Maya's lol...but the right is winning! Oh btw, and maybe tmi...I gave up the brassier contraption a few years ago so the race is on lol...well, except if I have to go out or we have company, then I must conform to my form so to speak hee hee.

My biggest complaint at nearly 50 is the ease of which my body gets injured. Not only am I nursing the sprained thumb (which we may fear is actually broken...one more week to see if I'm going to the hospital or not), I have sore knees, a pulled lower back (damn heavy bags of earth!) and my sore hands to deal with. May I look forward to more as I age? Probably! Even though I feel like 35-ish, my body keeps reminding me I'm not 18 anymore lol.

I notice if I don't sleep enough that my eyes look old, do you know what I mean? Not necessarily wrinkly...but old.

I remember my grandmother at age 55 looking like the older version of Queen Elisabeth and me thinking I never want to be "that old". But I guess I'm blessed with my young looks (SO FAR!) and Alex keeps me young too. :)

Wisdom...okay. What have I learned? Slow and steady, comfort and cozy is a lot better for me! And when we buy our house? BUNGALOW. I've had it with stairs!!! :) Oh and a central vac would be nice too. :)

Mama Pea said...

Rain - Good chuckles there, lady. A friend once told me she only knew she was "dressed up" because then she put a bra on.

I do truly believe females (especially) look younger at an older age now than they did at an earlier time. All the photos you see of families in the "olden" days show mother and father with their 6 or 7 kids and the mother is holding the youngest child, usually around one or two, and the dear lady looks like she's about 80 years old when she's actually only 45! ('Course, she probably worked so hard with all those kids and her hard life that she earned her looks!)

Goatldi said...

Very well done Mama Pea. My motto is "age is only important if you are a cheese or a wine." And I whole heartily agree that as a whole we age better than those before us. Well except for maybe Tina Turner.

I have lived today for 6 more years than my Mama. She had a hard life wrestling with mental illness. So I feel blessed to be still kicking and enjoying life.

I think we determine our aging process to an extent. So many facets environment, genetics, how we eat, who we love and so forth.

I was stunned at 50 that if I were a piece furniture I would be deemed an antique. Now zooming in on 70 I get what you say. Dr. D (yup the vet) said 50's were a breeze, 60's not much different but 70 was a force to be reckoned with. Now these words came from an 83 year who is sharp as a tack, in good physical shape and still practices vet med three days a week.I can only hope to do as well.

Love this one from Maya Angelou "It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop".

Michelle said...

Methinks you have been a fine student of Susan's humor! But now we have to shoot you for admitting that your thighs are just now touching. No, no; that would be too kind. We'll put you on the RACK so that skin gets even crepey-er! BWA-HAHAHA!!!

Michelle said...

May my vet (husband) do as well, Goatldi – and I love that quote!

Vera said...

Crikey.....I didn't know that you are in my age group....I always thought of you as being much younger! So I cannot explain enough just how much of an inspiration you are, even more so now that I know you are carrying a wadge of years behind you, the same as I am. Vx

Sparkless said...

Goodness I'd love to be in your shape now at my age. Even when I was 115lbs my thighs always touched. And anyone who says smaller breasts don't sag doesn't have a clue what they are talking about. I hate all the aches and pains of getting older but I love getting older. I wouldn't go back in time unless I could have my body at 20 and my current brain otherwise I'll just try to age gracefully and be thankful for it because getting older is a privilege not everyone gets to experience.

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

My motto, you're only as old as you feel. You're a gorgeous woman, and I'm going to say your 25 years of age....every day!!! You have more energy and spunk than some of us in our 50's.

As for our skin changing directions, that only happens when were not standing on our head....LOL!!!! Just don't tell anyone about our beauty secrets.

Slow and steady is more our pace :-)
Hugs,
Sandy

Saundra said...

I agree with Sandy. Just walk on your hands & everything goes back where it started. That was my motto at 40. But now at 77 that's dangerous--boobs can obstruct one's vision. Hugs, Sandy in CA.
We'll all just keep on "keeping on."

MrsDuncanMahogany said...
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MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Reading this post today made me smile. I will turn the big 5-0 this November. In my head I am 19 (sometimes younger) but boy oh boy does the body ever tell you that each and every year you are getting older. And I can echo each and every comment that has been left today. I ache, I can't sleep, my back is sore, etc, etc. but I refuse to give up! I will just keep on keeping on! :)

Blackland Prairie said...

Saundra, LOL!! That visual almost made me snort my tea!!

Mama Pea, I had no idea you were that age!! All kidding aside, you are truly an inspiration to this 61 yr old woman!

Vonne

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Please make sure it's an upside down rack so that all my parts that are going south gravitate back up north!

Mama Pea said...

Goatldi - I totally agree that we determine our aging process. Once a person starts saying they are too old to do this or that, they have started on the slippery slope to true old age. Also I believe if we still have interests and new things we want to try, we don't get old.

I love your quote, too. These busy days I'm fond of saying, "It only hurts when I stop." :o)

Mama Pea said...

Vera - Yep, we're in this together, girl! And we're capable of doing a lot, enjoying a lot and having a lot of "firsts" still ahead of us. Right? Right!

Thank you for your very sweet words. Hugs.

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - I'm pretty sure it was Ronald Reagan that said, on the occasion of one of his later birthdays, "It sure beats the alternative." I'm with you in that I wouldn't go back in time unless I could take what I know now with me!

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Slow and steady and much, much wiser!! Thank you for your nice words.

They say blood flow to your head is good so maybe I should try that standing on my head a bit each day, eh? Would it encourage body parts to stay in that position at least for a while? :o)

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Besides walking on your hands and having your vision obscured, running at this age causes the mammary glands to go strange places.

You bet we'll just keep keeping on. Only way to go!

Mama Pea said...

Vonne - Aw, thank you! I don't feel much different (okay, maybe a smidge bit) than I did 35 years ago. My 45 year old daughter boasts (I think she's boasting) to people that I can still work circles around her. (And she's one tough, hard-working chip off the old block!)

Goatldi said...

I hear you Mama Pea. I may have a good deal of aches and pains but it is because I jumped in and lived. Michelle I feel quite certain that your hubby/vet will do well in that avenue. Especially if his wife always is a shepherdess and keeps him hopping ;-)

Lisa said...

Loved this post for all sorts of great reasons! You have surely 'aged' well! You have more energy and get more things done than most youngsters half your age. Being on the back side of 50 now, you are so right in that the body sometimes just cannot do what the mind wants it to do. Someone once told me, it takes a lot of courage to age and age well. Yep. We are the brave souls here?!! Have a great day!! :)

Goatldi said...

I agree 100% Once was enough and I am a big believer in "there is a season".

Mama Pea said...

MrsDM - No, no, don't you dare give up! (I know you won't. Heck, we CAN'T with all we still want and need to do!) ;o) Not being able to sleep all night through and get a good night's sleep is something that really drives me bonkers. But I've had that problem for 30-some years!

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - You, m'dear, are the one who should be giving lessons on how to age well. Seriously, you get more beautiful all the time. Let us all in on your secret??

Mama Pea said...

Amen!

Laurie said...

I haven't had time to do much blog reading lately, but the rain today kept me inside allowing me time to catch up a little. Boy, I didn't realize how far behind I am and how much I've missed your wit. Aging is for the birds, mostly. But I bet with all your knowledge and wisdom, you could certainly argue that point. I would love it, if you wrote a book. You know sooooo much! I would be the first in line to buy it. Winter project?

Mama Pea said...

Laurie - In the past, I did actually think about writing a book about our first years up here, but I think there are too many "here and now" things I want to do . . . and I know writing a book takes A LOT of time and effort. But who knows what the future may bring? You're so sweet to send encouragement though. I'd have to argue the point that I now so much (bah!) but we have had some adventures!

harada57 said...
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