By Bonnie Brown

Columnist

Few of us know how to age well.  We’ve never been this old before.  And let me tell you, old age sneaks up on you.  I didn’t know aging would be so challenging.  I would see older folks around, but they seem to be doing quite well.  They were active, travelling, doing fun things like sky diving.  

It sort of snuck up on me when I noticed that the letters on the computer seemed a bit fuzzy, so I bought some glasses.  I think this happened in my early 40’s.  I actually didn’t mind getting reading glasses because it helped me do my job and I could also push them down on my nose and look at the student who was giving me grief.  They were a little intimidated by my looking over my glasses at them, which that alone signaled to them I didn’t quite believe their excuses for whatever they were trying to make me believe they were faultless.  

I seemed to be keeping up with my normal schedule although I must admit, I had slowed a bit.  I still could do all the things I had normally done, it was just done slower.  And there were consequences, like the sore muscles the next day when I rolled out of bed.  Sure, my pace had slowed but that only made me more intentional if that’s a good way to describe my change of pace.  

I found that I no longer recognized the names of prominent guests on the late-night shows or Saturday Night Live.  Obviously, I have not kept up on who was famous and for what.  I didn’t embrace the newer tunes.  After all, my generation had the best bands, the best music, and the best dance moves.  Who really dances anymore?  I see folks flinging their limbs about, but not a single one could do the Twist, the Watusi, the Mashed Potato, or the Limbo.  And trust me when I say, you had to be in good shape to do these dances.  I suppose the same could be said about the Charleston and the Jitterbug, but they pre-date me.

So, back to my aging process.  I found that I no longer stayed up until the wee hours.  My schedule changed.  Maybe I couldn’t stay up past midnight, but I can rise with the roosters.  Not that that is a good thing. 

I prefer hard copy invitations, menus, recipes, rather than reading them from the computer.  I still put 2 spaces after a period.  I can drive a stick shift.  I can write in cursive, although my penmanship has faltered recently.  Why is that?  

The one thing I have noticed is that I drop things all the time—my vitamin, my comb, my toothbrush.  The list is endless.  Sometimes I think I should just throw everything on the floor and pick up the items and consider that my exercise regimen for the day. 

Another challenge of aging is the various joints wearing out.  Back pain, knee pain, foot pain.  And it all seems to strike in such a sneaky way.  One day, you are walking briskly and comfortably, and seemingly the next day, you are simply wobbling along.  

My plan is to stay as mobile as possible which means trying to avoid falls and stay as active and engaged as possible.  Now, to work on my mental acuity.