I am old.  I’ve finally faced the fact. When I’m asked if I want the senior citizen discount I smile and say yes.  I’m no longer appalled when a good share of my mail turns out to be ads for long-term care and hearing aids.  I’ll even admit my age now and then and not be upset when nobody says , “you don’t look that old!”  I’ve spent a long time thinking about aging and have made some resolutions as to what I will not become as I grow older.

Medical problems will not be discussed with anyone but my doctor.  I won’t talk about medications I have taken or surgeries  that I’ve had.  Neither will I talk about anyone else and their medical problems.  Tests fall into the same category.   Biopsies, x-rays and lab work all will be placed in the back of my conversational  repertoire.  Neither will I spend a lot of time with people who do talk about these things.

I will live and not watch other people do it.  Television programs will be selected carefully.  Unless my city is in line for a blizzard or tornado I will not watch the weather channel.  Watching graphics of cold fronts moving through Buffalo is forbidden unless used as a sleep aid.  Scheduling my life around a favorite program is also forbidden.  Television personalities are not family and it is not necessary to learn about their personal lives.

I’ll do only what I want to  when I want to do it, at least when it involves my life.  I’ll say no more and make my contributions in areas that I really think are important.  Since everyone wants a piece of my life, I’ll make sure that I really want to give those pieces away.

I’ll never loose touch with the world.  Retirement communities may be fine for some but isolation from the world leads to a more limited understanding of that world.  Young people are no different then they’ve ever been.  They are not the enemy .  I need to realize that they are faced with more dangerous choices than other generations.  Most will make the right choices and take over the imperfect world that we have given them.

I’ll get rid of the hairstyle I’ve worn for the last ten years and never wear elastic waisted pants.  Although I probably won’t get a tattoo I will dress as if I belong to this century.  I may be old but I don’t have to look it, or even more importantly, I don’t have to  act it.  I’ll finally have more time to exercise and I’ll do it regularly.  I hope to never say that I’m  “not up”  to something.

I’ll try to do the unexpected.  My children will not always know where I am and what I am doing.  Although I didn’t agree with the elder George Bush’s politics I did admire the way he celebrated his last birthday.  Jumping out of an airplane is  a sign of really living life to the fullest.

Retirement is unique in that there is nothing that comes after.  After childhood comes young adulthood, college, marriage, and raising a family.  After retirement comes death.  As depressing as that sounds it should make one realize that this is the last chance.  That trip to Africa should be done now.  the fight with your brother-in-law should be settled now.  The endless time we looked forward to in adulthood is gone.  The retirement years are a gift.  I’ll open it slowly, savoring every one..