Leave the Being Old to Other People...

There is a local story, possibly nothing more than an urban legend that goes:

At the local upscale college-town shopping area near here, a local woman saw a parking spot and was maneuvering her luxury sedan to pull into it when a college kid in a small sports car zips into the space. She rolls down the window to call out "You took my spot". He replies "That's what you do when you're younger and quicker". She puts her car into the space, crunching his, gets out, and says "Well that's what you do when you're older and richer...".

So ... at what point are you old?

Is it when you "lose" your quickness? Is it when you achieve a certain level of status or maturity? Is it when you become annoyed with "youth"?

Does it come as a revelation one day when you look in the mirror and realize you are looking at an older man or woman? Does it happen one day when gravity just seems heavier or temperatures just seem more uncomfortable? Is it when you realize you have left the "follies" of your own youth behind?

Is it when you start saying things that start with "back when I was..."? Is it when you "lose" that youthful figure?

While none of us are getting any younger, being "old" is a relative concept. Aging happens gradually. Time is relentless. And at some point everyone surrenders to the idea of being older.

But that doesn't mean you have to surrender to being old. Old is very much a state of mind. You will get older naturally, but that doesn't mean you have to give in to being old...

My dear wife is getting younger. That's right. No, she hasn't figured out a way to cheat time. She has found a way to resist being old.

A couple of months ago she started an exercise program at a local women's club. A place where they have a set workout routine and ordering of exercises, and where they track her progress. At first I was skeptical that this would be ineffective and short lived. But she was determined and persisted. And her progress shows. She lost some inches, toned, and firmed up. Things often associated with youth and given up with age. And it shows not just in looks, but in behavior. She feels better.

Sometimes she comes back jubilant with her newest measurements. Sometimes with a bit of gloom at a setback. But as long as she stays determined, she is winning.

Beauty in youth is like a blooming flower and can quickly fade. Beauty with age comes from within. When seeking the fountain of youth, you sometimes need look no further than your own state of mind...