OMG! I’m 70!
The Truth is I am sixty-nine-and-a-half (as the kids say). My mind is currently mired in the incomprehensible Reality of my approaching 70th birthday.
Sixty was an OK birthday, sixty-two bothered me some. Sixty-five was traumatic because I qualified for Medicare…O.L.D. people qualify for Medicare. And now I am sixty-nine-and-a-half!
Kids are always eager for that next birthday…which used to require at least 36 months to arrive (just like Christmas!). Children grasp the joy and validity of gaining one year of age every twelve months: They look forward to the learning experiences involved in growing older. On my son’s eighth birthday he announced: “Only eight more years and I can drive!” That was the year he began saving money to buy his first vehicle.
Now I am hurtling downhill toward Being 70. I’m trying to figure out: am I excited, or frightened, fearful that the years went so fast, or … or … or just plain not happy about being O.L.D.
Of course, I know it’s a privilege to live for seven decades. Many are not granted this honor. I embrace the blessings of this long life and having the cognitive ability to complain about growing older. I am grateful for the honor of being designated a Senior Citizen, receiving restaurant, amusement park, lodging, and various other discounts. (Thank you, AARP!) Yes, I am thank-full for my Life.
