Tag: aging

Running Beyond Age: Embracing Health and Freedom in Every Step

by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“Running is an act of creative self expression”–Lawrence van Lingen on Extramilest podcast

A Familiar Morning Scene: Defying the Stereotype 👟👟

Two older runners jogging together on a path surrounded by grass and wildflowers in a park during early morning.
Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com

Picture this. It’s early on a warm Saturday morning in your local park. The sun is low on the horizon, and mist is rising above the grass and a meandering stream that runs alongside a crushed gravel path. The scent of a nearby rose garden is heady as two runners descend the hill following the path. Moving at a steady clip, one runner has a full head of white hair while the other is more salt than pepper. They are relaxed and chatting as they pass by.

This is a routine sighting for me on my weekend jogs. Numerous older runners, walkers, and run/walkers defying the stereotype through exercise, that aging equals physical decline. In fact, according to AARP, beginning in 2023, the average age of runners has risen. Some of the biggest gains are those 55 years and older, with numerous runners sticking to it well into their 60s, 70s, and 80s as witnessed in the ages of Boston Marathon finishers in recent years as well as other major marathons around the world. Of course, there’s no denying aging does change the body, so why do I see numbers of people my age and older consistently outside running and/or walking?

Running as Personal Ritual and Liberation 🏃‍♀️

Older man jogging outdoors in a gray hoodie and gloves, surrounded by tall grass with a calm sky in the background.
Photo by Barbara Olsen on Pexels.com

For many older individuals, like myself, running or run/walking becomes a personal manifestation of life–a ritualistic form of imaginative self expression that allows us to reconnect with our inner rhythm, identity, and self-determination. It creates a sense of freedom and play that we once had as a child. Additionally, running offers numerous benefits, including improved physical health, enhanced mental well-being, social connections, and a renewed sense of personal meaning, to name a few. 

The Science-Backed Physical Benefits of Running 🏃‍♂️

An older female runner smiling while participating in a race, wearing a bright pink tank top and bib number 12491, with greenery and other runners in the background.
Photo by khaoula Bkm on Pexels.com

I occasionally encounter critics who question the safety of running at “my age,” (a term used by my students); however, according to another 2023 AARP article, older runners just have to be “smart about it.” This is why many running groups often point beginners, including seniors, to using a run-walk-run method to establish a strong aerobic base. In fact, Cleveland Clinic, in a 2024 article, points to numerous physical health advantages to walking and/or running for all ages, but especially seniors. These advantages include:

  • Strengthens heart and improves circulation
  • Reduces risk of heart disease and stroke
  • Increases bone density, helping prevent osteoporosis 
  • Improves joint flexibility and maintains muscle function
  • Boosts metabolism and supports healthy aging
  • Improves blood sugar regulation and lowers risk for type 2 diabetes
  • Reduces risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Mental Health Gains: Silence the Inner Critic 🙉

An older woman running outdoors in a black hoodie and orange shirt, focused on her exercise, with a blurred background of benches and greenery.
Photo by Centre for Ageing Better on Pexels.com

Certainly, the physical health benefits of running are important to me; however, one of the greatest advantages is the feelings of improved mental health and well-being. I often refer to monkeys living in my mind, and running allows me to rise above the swirling negative chatter that often clouds my mind. On days when it seems everything goes sideways, if I have completed my morning run, I can take solace in the fact that I completed at least one positive act, thereby helping me to keep symptoms of depression and anxiety at arm’s length. 

I also find running clears my head, improves thinking, and increases memory, which is a bonus as I age. In fact, running–and exercise in general–is like meditation in motion because it deeply connects me to my breath. Plus, it is a great source of stress reduction.

The Artistry of Movement: Running as a Creative Outlet ✍️

An older man with a full head of gray hair is pouring water from a cup over his head while running in a sunny outdoor setting. He wears a bright red athletic shirt and a race bib number 757. In the background, other runners can be seen along a palm tree-lined street.
Photo by Jou00e3o Godoy on Pexels.com

Running is also a form of innovative self-expression, for young and old alike. Like crafting one’s own piece of art, running showcases the beauty of a body in motion. It offers time for inspiration and reflection. Each run, like a canvas, offers the opportunity to tell a story, footstep-by-footstep. Personally, time spent running also allows me to process life as well as difficult, often buried, emotions, and it even sparks inspiration. My running, albeit slow, feels like an act of liberation, hope, and a tribute to the many obstacles I have overcome along the way. It is a symbol of inner strength, resilience, and freedom to be me–in a world that has often felt as if it boxed me in.

Spirituality, Solitude, and Social Connection 🙏

An older man running on a path surrounded by tall grass and trees on a sunny day.
Photo by Thomas Shockey on Pexels.com

For many runners, older and young, running offers an opportunity to hang out with other runners and socialize. However, some find that running solo, instead, creates a sacred space in which they can connect to their Higher Power, feeling that sense of peace and ease. Still others appreciate the opportunity to spend time in nature, soaking up fresh air and the beauty of Mother Earth.

A Healthy Routine for a Vibrant Life 🙌

Two female runners in matching orange and red jerseys sprint together, holding hands as they approach the finish line. They display expressions of determination and joy during a race.
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU on Pexels.com

Running, for many, including myself, forms a meaningful structure to the day, a time set aside for one’s personal well-being and health.  This is important because there are numerous obligations and responsibilities that life often demands, even as we age. By setting aside regular time to run, sleep typically improves, which can be so elusive in older adults. Furthermore, those who run typically tend to eat better and don’t tend to abuse substances in order to better support their ability to run.

Staying Safe and Smart with Age 🤔

An older woman running outdoors, wearing a bright yellow tank top with a blue logo, smiling and gesturing with her hands. The background features greenery and a sunlit path.
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU on Pexels.com

Of course, as we age, we do have to be safe about our exercise habits, which often begins with checking-in with a health-care provider. Additionally, I highly recommend finding good footwear that works for your own personal gait/foot-type; a local running store expert can help with this. Furthermore, as AARP points out, older runners should not go from “zero to 60.” Warm-ups and cool-downs are essential, and for those wanting to start running, a good walk-run program like Run Your Butt Off or the Run-walk-run training plans are two great ways to start. (I have personally used both and can attest to their gentle nature.) 

Other considerations as we age include running less on concrete and asphalt, if possible, and spending more time on softer surfaces, like the paths at local parks. Treadmills also offer a more cushioned surface, and they are a great option when weather is too hot, too cold, or otherwise uncomfortable. If you run at night or early morning, it is important to wear a headlamp and reflective vest for safety’s sake. Additionally, if you run alone, it is a good idea to let someone know where you are running and for how long. 

Every Run Is a Story: Movement as Becoming 🏃

A runner with a confident expression points at the camera while sporting a black sleeveless shirt with 'RUN lovers' printed on it, a race bib, and a headband, during an event in a sporting field.
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU on Pexels.com

Bottom line, each run or run/walk/run is an adventure. Sure, some runs are less adventurous than others, but those moments offer an opportunity to learn about ourselves if we remain open and curious. Running (and walking) is accessible and fairly low-cost, and it is an effective way for older (and even younger) adults to improve their mental, physical, emotional, and even spiritual well-being. 

Beyond these benefits, running, for me, continues to remain a quiet act of self-expression. With each step and stride I take, I am writing a story, reclaiming my space and time, and paying homage to The Creator, celebrating this gift that is life. In this way, running transcends exercise and becomes a personal journey of becoming, no matter my age. 

With the right approach and mindset, whether you run, run-walk-run, or mostly walk, moving our bodies regularly can create joy and empower older adults to age well—proving that vitality truly has no age limit!

An older man with white hair smiles while wearing a jacket and a medal, standing among a group of people in a blurred background.
Photo by Roman Biernacki on Pexels.com

Embracing Aging: Opportunities for Growth

by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage for opportunity and growth,” Betty Freidan 

Another Year Celebrated 🎂

Photo by Genaro Servu00edn on Pexels.com

By the time you read this, I will have added a new score to my age.  If life were a game, I’d definitely be a winning football score, and accruing a lead score in a basketball game. You know what?  I am okay with that.  Next year, I’ll be in a new decade, but for now, I plan on savoring my last full year in this decade. 

A Chance Encounter 👩🏽‍🦳

Photo by Mauru00edcio Mascaro on Pexels.com

The night before writing this piece, my husband, John, and I chaperoned a high school homecoming dance for the school in which we teach. It was held at a local country club. Throughout the evening, guests at the club’s restaurant often exited via the hall outside of the room, where the students were dancing, and I happened to be supervising. Many of the restaurant’s patrons tended to speak as they walked by, mostly asking questions about what group was inside the buffet/ballroom.

One lady was particularly chatty, energetic, and enthusiastic.  She talked out of one side of her mouth as if everything she was telling me was a secret for my ears only.  In particular, she wanted me to note that she refused to have any surgical enhancements done to her face, including botox, “. . . and don’t I look good?”

Sound Advice 🧑‍💼

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Her comment made me smile as she went on to “give me some advice.”  She explained that she used to say that she was 78 years old, “but I wised up a few years ago.”  Instead, she states her age without adding the phrase, “years old.”  In her words, this reframed her way of thinking about her “years on earth,” and allows her to focus on the fact that she has “lived experience,” with room for more. 

She wrapped-up her short, one-sided conversation by saying, with a tilt of her head towards the room with dancing and singing students, that she didn’t want to “do that again.”  

“We’re supposed to age.  You know?  It’s part of life. The real question, honey, is, are you living?  It’s the living that counts!”  With that, she winked and walked away.

Conscious Aging

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

The unknown women’s spunk got me thinking about attitudes towards aging. It seemed she was echoing the idea of “conscious aging,” also known as “conscious eldering.” According to the Association of Health Care Journalists, the goal of conscious aging is aimed at shifting “attitudes and thinking away from self-limitation, isolation, and fear” to viewing the senior years as the time of life for pursuing “passion, engagement, and service in the community.” 

This same woman further touched on this point by talking about her lack of medical, anti-aging intervention. As it turns out, depending upon the source, the global anti-aging market is currently valued at $37-62 billion, and it is projected to grow in value to $65-93 billion.  These estimates speak to the fact that as a whole, we culturally tend to reject the aging process.

It is unfortunate because it creates a climate that fosters a fear of aging rather than viewing it as a natural and normal part of life. Therefore, it’s important to examine where our beliefs about aging come from.  Just because a parent/grandparent/other relative had a health condition associated with a certain age, doesn’t mean we will do that same. The stories we tell ourselves matter as they tend to affect and influence our attitudes, beliefs, and even our relationship with aging according to a 2023 New York Times article. 

Identify age-appropriate Role models

Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

In order to flip our own personal narratives about aging, let’s identify role models around us who embrace or model a healthy view of aging. They don’t have to be record-breaking 95-year olds, rather seniors who are active, engaged, and living with purpose. At the same time, let’s make choices related to aging that are authentic to our own values.  We may admire our 85-year old neighbor who still plays golf, colors their gray hair, and volunteers at a dog shelter, but it doesn’t mean all of their choices are right for us. Instead, let’s use that admiration as inspiration to forge our own unique path of embracing and fully living during the senior years.

Engage across decades

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Additionally, let’s engage across generations. Interacting and engaging with all ages across a multitude of decades is beneficial for all.  It allows us to see a broad range of perspectives, which can prevent us from becoming too narrow-minded. And, in my experience, being around those who are younger, keeps us younger.

embrace change as a natural part of Life

Photo by Wellness Gallery Catalyst Foundation on Pexels.com

Another big issue related to aging is learning to cope with and accept change associated with the aging process. Conscious aging means just that–we are conscious of the aging process, which means we are dealing with age-related changes in our bodies as they occur. What it doesn’t mean is tossing in the proverbial towel and sitting on the sidelines. We still need to take care of ourselves by exercising and eating well, but we may need to adjust our expectations according to our own bodies’ needs–which varies from person to person.  For example, there are plenty of people older than me who can run faster, but I run at the pace that is best for me. 

Embrace REality with optimism

Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU on Pexels.com

Additionally, embrace reality, including the changes, optimistically.  For example, when training for a half-marathon, I focus my training on crossing the finish line, rather than focusing on my finish time.  I am grateful for a healthy body, and I am grateful that I can train for a marathon.  However, I still work full-time, and I have plenty of other interests, so I focus on the adventure that goes along with training and the joy that comes from experiencing the event instead of a specific finish time goal. 

Live with purpose

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

This brings me to my next point, let’s live and age with purpose. While I do have plans to eventually formally retire from full-time work, as long as my body and mind are healthy, I don’t ever see myself not engaged in some form of teaching. I may one day change to a setting outside the formal constraints of a school system, or focus instead on my writing, which is, for me, is a form of teaching. However, I optimistically plan to continue teaching, in some form, because it gives me purpose, allows me to help others, and keeps me cognitively and socially engaged with others. It is my fountain of youth!

learn new things

Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels.com

 Plus, teaching also forces me to continuously learn new things, which is beneficial at any age.  Furthermore, by consciously choosing to continue to work, older adults challenge societal ageist-constructs that often purport the notion that older adults aren’t as capable as their younger counterparts.  When in reality, most workplaces often benefit from employees across a spectrum of ages and experience levels.

In the end, the woman I met summed it up well when she pointed to the fact that humans are supposed to age, but it’s “the living that counts!”  Therefore, instead of focusing on the number of our age, let’s focus on living well.  

Make a difference.  Share the joy.  Celebrate life.

Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels.com

.

Are you seasoned? Appreciating the finer points of aging

Featured by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“It’s important to have a twinkle in your wrinkle.”–Anonymous

Green beans Days of summers past

Photo by Ravi Kant on Pexels.com

During the summer months, my grandparents typically made a weekly trip to the local produce market to buy fresh green beans.  Once home, they sat kitty-corner from one another, an open width of newspaper in front of each of them, a pile of green beans in the center of each, and a large bowl between them.  Then, they went to work.

Over an advertisement or yesterday’s news, they would string each side of a bean, break each one into two or three pieces, and toss the broken beans into the bowl. 

“Pinch, zip, crack, plink. Pinch, zip, crack, plink.” 

The bean strings would pile high like tangled pieces of a preschooler’s hair on the floor of a barber shop after their first haircut, and the bowl would gradually fill with broken, strung beans. Sometimes Grandmother and Papaw talked; other times, they simply tuned into the percussive beat of their efforts, but never for long.

Once Chessie, their large, solidly gray, and very temperamental cat, heard the pinch, zip, crack, plink of the beans, her head would raise from her designated napping spot, and she would come trip, trop, trotting into the kitchen, tail raised, and voice meowing. Grandmother and Papaw would both talk to Chessie in that unique sing-song quality used only with pets and children.  She would meow incessantly, rubbing and darting in and out of their ankles until given an unstrung bean with which to play.  Bean gently held between her upper and lower jaw, she pranced to the center of the kitchen, plopped the bean onto the floor, and proceeded to bat it around between her front paws, then pounce on it, pick it up in her mouth again, carry it to another area, drop it onto the floor again, and repeat the entire process enthusiastically entertaining herself for long periods of time.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Once the beans were strung and rinsed, they were placed into a large pressure cooker pot on the stove, and the cooking commenced.  Steam would belch and burp out of the “jiggler,” aka the weighted valve that released pressure.  All the while, Chessie still toyed with her bean, often pausing to rest with her front paws on top of the bean, as if it were a treasure, while the redolent aroma of beans filled the air.

The scent saturation grew even stronger once the lid was removed and Grandmother  seasoned the beans, adding this and that from an unseen recipe forged into her mind over the years. Those green beans cooked all day, and by the time supper rolled around, Grandmother and Papaw made a meal that mostly consisted of those beans.  

What is ‘real’ seasoning?

Real magic occurred, according to my grandmother, once the beans were cooled and stored in the refrigerator.  That’s when the real seasoning began–over time.  I would see them eat on those beans all week long, heating them up each time, and diligently returning the leftovers to the fridge, declaring that the beans were better tasting as the week progressed.  

“They’re good and seasoned now,” Grandmother would say mid-way through the week.

Nothing like seasoned green beans when I am feeling a bit nostalgic for those seasoned summer green beans of my grandparents’ kitchen.

Meanwhile, Chessie’s green bean also became “seasoned.”  That bean would be hidden, seemingly lost, only to be found again, looking more ragged as the week progressed, but it appeared to grant her the same pleasure nonetheless.

I found myself smiling recently, reflecting on those green bean days of summer so long ago, when I heard someone say, “Oh, I am proud to say I’m a seasoned bean, I mean, seasoned being.  My gray hair and wrinkles remind me that I am seasoned like the best food on the table.”

The Gifts of Seasoning

I had stumbled across a podcast discussing the finer points of aging with the overall premise being that the definition and understanding of aging is changing.  The speaker pointed to the shifting of retirement age to later years for many healthy adults.  She further promoted the importance of wellness, preventative care, and longevity practices as a valid part of this cultural evolution in work life.  

Honestly, I tuned out a large portion of the podcast because I was so wrapped up in remembrances of Grandmother, Papaw, Chessie, and seasoned green beans.  Even so, the speaker had a point, wrinkles and gray hair don’t hurt–at least not physically.  Sure, the body does not respond like it once did–parts shift, aches and random discomforts are more frequent visitors–but would I really want to go back to my former self with all her insecurities and self-doubt?  Nah!  

Therefore, I must take the good with the not-so-good, and find the sweet-spot for which to be grateful. Afterall, the longer those beans were from their “birth” in a pressure cooker, the better their taste, and that, my friend, is true of so much in life.  

When I reflect over the years, and recall long-ago moments that will never return, such as time spent in my grandparents’ kitchen, I appreciate the seasoning that got me to this point–the good, the bad, and the oh-so-ugly. Each moment provided lessons–many of which I am still learning, but that’s part of the process–similar to the way in which Grandmother’s beans got better over time. With each year of seasoning, the more our knowledge, understanding, and patience expands.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Sure, not every day of life can be idyllic, but I find that with age, I want to capitalize on days, or even moments, that are good because I now better appreciate the value and rare exquisiteness of such moments.  I accept–most of the time–that there are going to be bad days and moments, sometimes as high pressure as that old pan of green beans cooking on Grandmother’s stove, but it’s the part of the seasoning process, albeit, sometimes wrinkles and gray hairs are sure to be a byproduct of those moments! 

The point of being a seasoned human-being is to realize and appreciate what we have been given, move on from mistakes of the past, and focus-forward on the goals still to be achieved.  Depending upon our stage in life, Dear Reader, some of us are more seasoned than others, but we can all use our current level of seasoning to help/mentor others, enjoy the way that extra-seasoning often enhances our understanding of numerous situations, and continue to sip enthusiastically from the life for which we are still living.

Here’s to our continued seasoning, my friend!

Photo by Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz on Pexels.com

Aging with Serenity

by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”–Serenity Prayer

Photo by Harshi Rateria on Pexels.com

After writing humorously about the aging process a few weeks ago, I ran across an article written by Paula Span, focusing on the research and work of Becca Levy, a psychologist, epidemiologist, and professor at the Yale School of Public Health. Part of Levy’s work specifically points to 7.5 years that can be added or subtracted from a person’s life based upon personal and societal attitudes towards aging.  Since then, my brain has picked up Levy’s thesis, as if it were an object of study, and has been manipulating it from all angles as I consider its premise with what I thought I knew and what I hope to understand/apply. 

And what do I know? I know that I definitely won’t be retiring during my 50s as I once believed. At one time, I harbored some resentment about this.  Then, we went through the pandemic, and I experienced the heat of transformation with millions of other people, like sand particles melting into glass.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It was during the pandemic that I slowly began to observe many of my attachments to “how things should be,” such as my retirement age, and I began to undergo a practice of  learning to say “yes” more often to things that weren’t, “how they should be.”  It was, and continues to be, a very imperfect practice.  Learning to accept AND surrender to the things that I cannot change is NOT my natural inclination.  

In addition to my belief about retirement age, nearly ten years ago–I battled low back pain due to three bulging discs and an extra vertebra.  Without belaboring the topic, the pain led me down a meandering path of chiropractic care, regular epidural steroid injections, and ultimately two 12-week rounds of physical therapy.  Both well-meaning doctors and physical therapists, told me that I should never participate in any form of high intensity exercise, including running again.  I accepted this theory because, after all, they were the professionals, and besides I was getting to “that age”–whatever that means.  

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Fortunately, one physical therapist disagreed, suggesting that I should strengthen the weak muscles that were causing imbalances that led to my injury in the first place.  Then, if I continued to work on maintaining that strength and listen to my body, he believed that I could gradually resume running and other forms of exercise I had been told to avoid. His advice later proved to be spot-on.

Therefore, as the pandemic continued, work changed, living conditions changed, and exercise changed as we said goodbye to gyms and group exercise.  Work meant sitting for hours. Low back, hip pain, depression, and sleep disruption escalated. I learned that I was not made to sit for long periods, and I began to realize that in-person work was more beneficial to my life than I realized. 

Photo by Peter Olexa on Pexels.com

Through trial and error during the pandemic, I began to resume various forms of exercise that I had once abandoned, including running, and I began to rethink my belief system about my own aging process.  I started approaching my life, and my physical body, with a bit more curiosity–making observations, asking questions, forming hypotheses, testing them, and making adjustments. This continues today.

The pandemic forced me to make peace with the fact that I will work longer than I had originally planned because it is still beneficial for me. Furthermore, I have embraced my need for movement; I cannot sit for hours, and even if I could, it is NOT good for me physically or mentally.  Additionally, I need interaction with others, even if I am an introvert at heart.  However, I still value and honor my need for downtime, introspection, reflection, and quiet. 

Span’s article, combined with the pandemic experience, inspires me to seek the courage in the coming years to continue to change what I can, but to also hone my ability to know when I can’t.  This is only possible through the wisdom that comes with life experience, aka, aging.  Aging is not a point for which to attach shame, negative stereotyping, or embarrassment.  Instead, the process of aging should celebrate one’s life experiences and provide us with opportunities to not only apply the knowledge gained from these experiences to our own lives, but to also use them for the benefit of those with whom we interact and/or mentor.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

To be certain, aging brings unavoidable changes in the physical body and in the way in which we think (and forget), but it is not necessarily a time for stopping, like much of our cultural cues teach us by celebrating youthful beauty, prowess, and achievement. In fact, after reading about Levy’s work, I realize there’s plenty of money to be made.  In fact, according to Span’s article, Dr. Levy and her colleagues estimate that “age discrimination, negative age stereotypes, and negative self-perceptions of aging lead to $63 billion in excess annual spending on common health conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and injuries,” not to mention all of the money made from products promising to turn back the clock. 

One of the most compelling examples of psychological absorption and damage of cultural ageism in Span’s article occurred when Levy took her 70-something grandmother shopping in a Florida grocery store and her grandmother fell over a crate left in an aisle. The grandmother’s injury was superficial, but it did bleed profusely.  When the grandmother suggested to the store owner that crates should not be left in an aisle, the store owner replied that “old people fall all the time, and maybe they shouldn’t be walking around.”  After that point, Levy observed that her once lively grandmother began to ask others to do tasks for her that she once regularly completed.  It was as if her grandmother began to subconsciously view the grocery store incident as her cue that she was old and incapable of caring for herself.

Photo by Eduardo Soares on Pexels.com

Meanwhile, in Blue Zone parts of the world, geographical locations in which people live the longest and are the healthiest, centenarians are celebrated as if they were highly acclaimed celebrities.  If these parts of the world can encourage, foster, and honor a culture where aging is not only accepted, but highly valued, why can’t we?  

Maybe I cannot change the current culture, but I can change my own personal view on the maturing process.  Wrinkles capture the adventures in the sun as well as countless moments of smiling. Gray hair celebrates the continuation of our inner child wanting to roam free and wild, and body aches/pains are a reminder to care for the vessel God gave us. 

I now know that phrases such as, “that age,” reflect cultural and social programmed attitudes that marketers, business, and the healthcare industry prefer is an ingrained part of our vocabulary.  While not every business or healthcare provider is personally invested in this ageism, I no longer desire to accept those marketers’ money-making, psychological damaging propaganda. What about you?

Photo by Chevanon Photography on Pexels.com

The Ceaseless Wonder and Amusement of Aging

by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.”–George Bernard Shaw

Aging is a funny thing.  Only last week, I looked in the mirror at the end of a work day and thought I saw a streak of eyeliner running up the center of my brow bone toward an eyebrow–which seemed odd.  With a shrug, I thought, “Who knows?” as I tried to wipe it off.  Then, I just had to switch my gaze to the magnifying mirror, an addition whose assistance I seem to require on a daily basis. I should have realized–since this is not the first time it happened–what I thought was a makeup streak, turned out to be a new wrinkle.  Geesh!  Another serving of Fun-for-all Aging Humble Pie, whipped up by the Chef Life.

Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Heaven forbid, if I make comments about my age to my parents, they merely make jokes about it and offer encouraging comments, such as, “Just you wait,” or “You don’t know the half of it yet.”  Nonetheless, there are seemingly preternatural changes that are beginning to occur that give me pause.

For example, at work I am (along with my husband, John) in the top 5-10 oldest employees on staff; and in all honesty, we’re probably in the top five.  On the bright side, I am pretty sure it’s the first time in my life I can claim to have ever been ranked so highly! On the downside, I often pinch myself, wondering if I am in a dream state, when coworkers ask when/if I am close to retirement; or better yet, when they can have my job. It feels otherworldly to now be one of the teachers that is perceived as “old.” Of course, in my oh-so-ignorant early career years, I also thought I would be able to retire early in my 50s, and would already be working a not-so-serious retirement job. Ha! 

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

In addition to my recent elevation in work rankings, there are other insidious signs that I could be aging.  It seems my skin is now changing at an alarming rate as it thins, folds, hangs, and forms once unimaginable cavernous crevices and fanciful spots.  In fact, I am pretty sure I’ve spotted (pun-intended) a miniature Australian continent currently forming on one of my cheeks and Antarctica on the other! 

Then, there are body parts that are beginning to rearrange themselves in entertaining and unprecedented ways.  Who knew cellulite could be so shifty?  And, of course, the new found plot twists of balance, digestion, sleep, and the ever elusive recovery.  I mean, my goodness, aging is an amusement park of fun–no need to pay for the Tilt-a-whirl, Bumper cars, or Scrambler here–the aging body gratefully provides this amusement for free!  

Photo by Mariana Kurnyk on Pexels.com

In the midst of all this wholesome clean fun is a bit of good cheer! Since John is only a couple years older than me, he probably hasn’t noticed ANY of these so-called changes in me.  Right? After all, the changes in vision, as we age, is like walking through life in a perpetual tunnel of Funhouse mirrors.  I’m sure he’s never noticed my thinning, gray hair or any of the other deviant developments gifted to me by life.

Oh, and then there’s the shrinking height.  I can not begin to express the sheer amount of joy that GROWS within my heart, with each annual checkup, swelling my head to new proportions, as I am reminded that I have already scaled to my highest height of  4’11”, and I will never conquer anything taller. Instead, I have the good fortune of experiencing other parts of me that are now growing, like my ear lobes, nose, and jowls! Those are nasty rides of nonsense I’d rather put a stop to–the sooner the better! Sigh, I guess I am going to finally have to set aside runway model as potential retirement gig! 

Photo by SHVETS production on Pexels.com

Another fun fact? Getting lucky has a new definition.  I can’t tell you how many times I have had the titillating experience of walking into a room only to wonder, “Why am I here?”  If I remember BEFORE leaving the room, I think, “Yeah, Baby, I just got lucky.”  If, however, I start walking back and remember mid-path; well, that’s at least making it to third base.  If I return all the way to my original starting point, but then remember, I’ve at least scored a single or a double. If it is the middle of the night, or the next day, before I remember, that is a definite strike-out since it probably means I’ve left the ice cream or the cheese in the car to melt into a gelatinous gooey heap of spillage that I now need to clean up. 

While I don’t seem to have yet acquired some of my acquaintances and friends’ talents, I am told that with age, they now possess an even greater ability to multitask.  One friend claims she can sneeze, pass gas, pee, and laugh all at the same time.  Meanwhile, another person states that, like George Burns, when they bend down to tie their shoes, they look around to see if there’s anything else they could do while they are down there.  In fact, I can recall my Papaw once telling me that he was living in a haunted house with my grandmother as he claimed there were lots of unexplained sounds and smells floating around the place!

Photo by Arianna Tavaglione on Pexels.com

Recently, one of my 6th grade students asked me if I ever tried to rewind movies on Netflix after I finished them.  Before I could answer, another student jumped in and asked if I ever had to step over dinosaur dung when I was a kid.  While they were on this downward spiral of frivolity, another student, inspired by their knowledge of the Holy Land, asked if the Dead Sea was only sick when I was their age.  Youth, along with its pernicious sense of humor, is indeed wasted on the young!

In the meantime, I’ll keep plucking those gray hairs sprouting in random places like spring onions in a flower bed.  I’ll continue to write-off forgetful moments to, “Sometimers,” and I’ll continue to be grateful that cellphones and social media were NOT things when I was coming of age.  In fact, I am pretty sure in bourbon or wine years, I haven’t even begun to reach perfection, but I’m leaning closer!

Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels.com

 So good news, Dear Readers, if you’re reading this, the best is yet to come–no matter your age.  It’s like riding a roller coaster, as our age keeps climbing, so does our sense of humor and our sense of humility as we watch other things start sliding. Besides, I prefer to think I’ll never be “over the hill”; after all, I’ll forget where the dog-gone hill is, or I’ll be too tired to climb it!

Here’s to life! With age comes wisdom, so I am eagerly anticipating my rise to near-genius level! In the meantime, as once suggested by the great Will Rogers, if we could perhaps get Congress to take issue with aging, we could at least be guaranteed that the aging process would be slowed down for years to come! 

Photo by Gagan Cambow on Pexels.com

Becoming

by stephsimply, posted in Herald-Dispatch Articles, Simple Observations and Musings

“To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.”–Robert Louis Stevenson

Standing on the crest of a small hill, my senses were heightened.  I could feel the weight and seemingly taste the moisture in the air. Scents of earth, rain, and floral encompassed me.  Dewy variations of pink, red, and coral stood out in contrast to the overcast dawn. Meanwhile, the unmistakable melody of creekwater rushing over rock, bed, and banks provided additional ambiance to the unfolding morning. There could be no mistaking it, this was a brief interlude before the showers once more resumed.

Down the hill I trotted, past the pristine rows of roses and on towards my companion for the next hour or so, Four Pole Creek, or “Four,” as I have come to think of it.  

“The more I run, the more I want to run, and the more I live a life conditioned and influenced and fashioned by running.  And the more I run, the more I am certain I am heading for my real goal:  to become the person I am.”–George Sheehan

Hello Friend.  My heavens, but you are swollen today, full as a tick bug, as my Papaw used to say, from the feast of overnight rain.  It’s good to see you looking lively today.  Your rhythmic song will be a welcome distraction from the noise in my mind.  

You see, a stunning new realization has recently taken root in my mind.  It whispers conspiratorially to me that I have reached a point in my life in which the years ahead are more likely to be less than the years I have lived.  What am I to do with this information, I ask you?  It is such a staggering revelation.

What’s more, my aqueous friend, the image reflected in my bathroom mirror no longer matches the image in my head.  There are these white hairs at my left temple and even more sprinkled throughout the parting of my hair.  Likewise, there are lines, especially when I smile, that run from the top of my cheekbone down towards my jaw line!   Tiny versions of those lines romp across the top of my lip, corners of my eyes, and all along my forehead.  How am I to be with this?

It seems I am not the only one changing.  I keep running across pictures from previous years in which family and friends look different.  They look incredibly young in those pictures–like unfledged, inexperienced youth.  I don’t recall that image.  In my mind, they are ever the responsible, mature, and wise people who never age, but remain frozen in time–never too young or old. 

Oh, and Four, there are all of these nagging aches and pains.  They niggle me awake during the night or flare up in the middle of work.  Sometimes, I down right hurt all over, and I can’t determine the cause.  However, I can tough out these minor hurts.  I can.  It’s the suffering of my loved ones that trouble me more.

I see my loved ones injured, battle-scarred, aging, and/or struggling.  You see, I want to help, to make them better, to help them feel whole again.  Even more than their ailing physical beings, I want to offer peace to the emotional wars waging within their minds and hearts.  I try.  I do try to help in small ways, but I am not a doctor–I don’t even play one on TV.  Thus, at times, I feel limited in what I can do to ease their burdens, pains, and sorrows.  

Still, it encourages me to see you full of vitality.  For a couple of weeks, you have been waning.  Your shallow flow lacked its usual energy and zip.  It is good to see your waters revived once more.

By the way, did you take care of the terrapin that I sent your way recently?  It was headed away from the safety of boundaries of your banks towards the traffic rolling alongside you.  I picked it up, even though it seemed offended by my action, and placed it carefully within your borders.  Hopefully, you were able to redirect its journey to safer ground.

As I was taking this picture, a couple days later, I was able to catch this image of a walnut falling into the water from the tree above.

Back to my original point, Four.  Have you any thoughts, ideas, or insight you can offer?  It seems as if your soundscape is whispering commentary.  Perhaps, if I quiet my head, I will hear it. 

“Life is a lively process of becoming.”–Douglas MacArthur

Four, I can’t help but notice that you have more riffles, rapids, and runs today. It’s nature’s way of breathing oxygen into your waters.  In return, your waters can give support to the life in, below, and around you.  

Earlier in the week, your waters were different.  They slowly glided from one pool to another. Of course, it was quite hot outside.  I couldn’t help but laugh at the number of neighborhood dogs splashing around or sitting in the cool shallows of those pools.  You remain ever the friend to the creatures in need, no matter levels and speed of your waters. 

 I have to ask though, do you ever hurt? Do pollutants irritate you?  What about those pesky people trying to reconfigure earth around you in order to build in the name of progress? Does that cause you pain as the drainage of rainwater and groundwater shift, ultimately influencing the levels and speed of your flow?  Do you mourn for your former self or for the forested neighbors that must have once lined your banks?  Regardless of those things for which you cannot control, it seems to me that you keep going, keep giving, keep supporting life to those in need of water.

Your waters are gathered from different sources. There are times, like today, when your waters are swift, becoming deep and darkened with the mud of debris, rocks, and earth.  Other times, like this past week, your waters are nearly still as you become shallow and more clear.  No matter what you are becoming, though, Dear Four, you remain ever Four Pole Creek, part of the Ohio River Watershed that feeds into the grand Mississippi River, and empties into the Gulf of Mexico flowing into the Atlantic Ocean.  Along the way, some of your water is evaporated into the air, cooled, condensed, and eventually returned to the earth–molecule by sweet molecule–a single droplet that is all part of the larger body of creation.

Four, in spite of your continuous changes, from the levels of your water, to the shapes you take; from the color of your waters, to the speed at which it flows; and from the lives that your waters support, to the beauty you offer the landscape, you are constantly evolving, ever changing, and continuously becoming.  Yet, you remain a creek, one creek in the great cycle of water.

“By being yourself, you put something wonderful into this world that was not there before.”–Edwin Elliot

Like you, Four, I am changing, and so is the life around me.  Some of my loved ones have flowed on to their heavenly shores, while many others remain bound to the earthly waters of life.  Like you, no matter my shape, my hurts, the gray at my temples, the lines of my face, or the pace at which I move . . . I am still me.  I will remain me–becoming, evolving, and adapting to the changes within and all around.

One day, I will dance among the ether of your molecules.  Together, joined by those who slipped ahead, we will become part of the Great cycle–the ever more and ever was. 

Thank you, Four.  Your song returned me to the hill of roses.  Back to where I started.  This running cycle is complete.  You were a fine companion.