Another Year

Tomorrow I will be a year older. I have never concerned myself with aging...it just wasn't in my thought process. Although I have plenty of friends that to this day won't reveal their age, and others that almost needed therapy when they turned 40. I just don't get it. In fact, for years I've said I still feel like I'm 17, but something changed when I turned 50.

I feel like someone came in the middle of the night as I slept and snatched my body, leaving me with this old used one. Definitely what once was, isn't anymore. I have always been physically active, but now getting out of bed is part of my exercise regimen. I have to stretch just right before swinging my legs out of bed or it feels like I pulled my hamstring... if I turn my upper body to quickly, it feels like I dislocated my shoulder. Also, my body has to really warm up after I finally get out of bed, otherwise my walk is like doing a shuffling and step move. I use to hear my mom dragging her feet down the hallway in the morning the same way. I would say to my husband, "Seriously, can't she pick up her feet." So now I know. Once I'm up and warmed up I can still move like back in the day... bending is a whole other story though. But, I still don't care about aging, it's all about attitude. My mind now thinks I'm 20 instead of 17, so I'm not sure what 53 is suppose to feel like.

This birthday will be different... I'll be trading in going to the club and dancing until closing for a quiet dinner and a glass of wine. I'm no longer the speeding sports car model... just a luxury classic that has to warm up, but still has a great exterior.

To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.

Bernard M. Baruch, 1940