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Thoughts on getting old vs aging
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When I was a teenager I worked at a nursery gardens - run by a man from his wheelchair, whose dad was cycling everywhere and mending chimneys at 86. Both amazing role models for concentrating on what you CAN do - whatever your obstacles. I certainly aim to be cycling and climbing (hills not ladders on chimneys) at 86.
My original mfp aim was ‘to be fit at fifty’ (I’m 54 now so ‘fit in fifties’ more apt now - but it will ‘to be be fit at 86’ too!)
I have my own obstacles (i have chronic fatigue syndrome - still getting better and luckily for me no fibromyalgia) but as the nursery gardener showed you can have significant health issues and obstacles and still be fit and positive.... And I aim for this.
So whilst my need for daily siestas sometimes make me feel like I am in my 70s - my daily (carefully, boringly, energy managed) dog walking, yoga, music lessons and practise, and occasional cycling/biking /gardening ensure I feel and am a lot healthier than many others in their 50s....
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This seems rather apropos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xTDdSwHAic
And the write up from The Atlantic. No, not all of them are doing various forms of exercise, but on the outside, I wouldn't be so unhappy if that's what 95 looked like for me.1 -
This seems rather apropos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xTDdSwHAic
And the write up from The Atlantic. No, not all of them are doing various forms of exercise, but on the outside, I wouldn't be so unhappy if that's what 95 looked like for me.
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74 here. I am very active (even more so this past year.) My position is that you are lucky to get old, but how fast you "age" is to a great extent w/in your control. So many people I know who are my age have self-imposed limitations that stem from what they believe they can or cannot do "at their age".5
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It was the baseball great Satchel Paige who said. “If you didn’t know how old you were, how old would you be?” Here’s the thing...do we really know our potential at any age?!? I think the answer for everyone is that we don’t; mentally, physically, or spiritually. At 56 I choose to ignore that number and see what performance my body is capable of achieving - because you just never know how far you can go - then push yourself even further. What a fantastic journey of discovery that can be - especially in this age where you have instant access to information that can assist you in that journey.3
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74 here. I am very active (even more so this past year.) My position is that you are lucky to get old, but how fast you "age" is to a great extent w/in your control. So many people I know who are my age have self-imposed limitations that stem from what they believe they can or cannot do "at their age".
A much younger relative asked me, jokingly, what she had to do to get "as old as me". I said it's easy. Don't die.
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It was the baseball great Satchel Paige who said. “If you didn’t know how old you were, how old would you be?” Here’s the thing...do we really know our potential at any age?!? I think the answer for everyone is that we don’t; mentally, physically, or spiritually. At 56 I choose to ignore that number and see what performance my body is capable of achieving - because you just never know how far you can go - then push yourself even further. What a fantastic journey of discovery that can be - especially in this age where you have instant access to information that can assist you in that journey.
I wish everyone in our age group looked at it like that. 👍1 -
74 here. I am very active (even more so this past year.) My position is that you are lucky to get old, but how fast you "age" is to a great extent w/in your control. So many people I know who are my age have self-imposed limitations that stem from what they believe they can or cannot do "at their age".
A much younger relative asked me, jokingly, what she had to do to get "as old as me". I said it's easy. Don't die.
Is that a recent pic of yourself? If so you might’ve found the youth fountain, where’s it at don’t be stingy ...Just kidding, but seriously I guess it just good genes, diet and exercise?1 -
74 here. I am very active (even more so this past year.) My position is that you are lucky to get old, but how fast you "age" is to a great extent w/in your control. So many people I know who are my age have self-imposed limitations that stem from what they believe they can or cannot do "at their age".
A much younger relative asked me, jokingly, what she had to do to get "as old as me". I said it's easy. Don't die.
Is that a recent pic of yourself? If so you might’ve found the youth fountain, where’s it at don’t be stingy ...Just kidding, but seriously I guess it just good genes, diet and exercise?
@vanityy99 Wow, you just made my whole week! Thank you! That's a year old or so and yeah, have to thank my mother for the Gene's lol. The diet and exercise is a daily thing,
Yes ...and just trying to keep the soul light and hope the rest follows.
You really did put a little extra spring in my step this morning ❤🙂1 -
I want to be one of these guys...
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gentlygently wrote: »When I was a teenager I worked at a nursery gardens - run by a man from his wheelchair, whose dad was cycling everywhere and mending chimneys at 86. Both amazing role models for concentrating on what you CAN do - whatever your obstacles. I certainly aim to be cycling and climbing (hills not ladders on chimneys) at 86.
My original mfp aim was ‘to be fit at fifty’ (I’m 54 now so ‘fit in fifties’ more apt now - but it will ‘to be be fit at 86’ too!)
I have my own obstacles (i have chronic fatigue syndrome - still getting better and luckily for me no fibromyalgia) but as the nursery gardener showed you can have significant health issues and obstacles and still be fit and positive.... And I aim for this.
So whilst my need for daily siestas sometimes make me feel like I am in my 70s - my daily (carefully, boringly, energy managed) dog walking, yoga, music lessons and practise, and occasional cycling/biking /gardening ensure I feel and am a lot healthier than many others in their 50s....
Wow!! You had amazing role models.2 -
When I was in late 40's and training for tough mudder this was my motivation:
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When I was in late 40's and training for tough mudder this was my motivation:
Geezedude...I feel for the poor sap that makes excuses in front of that guy...1 -
So, I'm not old (19 actually) and I guess this is a little out of place for me, but I have two people I would like to compare for the sake of this discussion; my two grandfathers (well, one grandfather and one step grandfather, to be honest).
One is in his 80s and is still working out every day lifting weights, in addition to the many jobs he still works at, and his regular active lifestyle. While he obviously isn't in perfect shape - he is in his 80s after all - he is probably in better shape than many 30 year olds are, (thank G-d [not about the 30 year olds, about him]).
The other is almost 70, and while I've only known him for a couple of years, his health is definitely on the decline, and every time I see him he looks about a year older (I see him about once a month). He doesn't work out at all, and I think it shows very clearly.
And one last thing that "probably-should-have-been-said-earlier-but-I-forgot-and-am-too-lazy-to-go-back-so-I-will-stick-it-in-here." The healthy one eats way less healthy food than the unhealthy one. The unhealthy one eats (pardon my language) "health freak food" and the other one eats "regular food".
Also, I get that everyone is different and it probably has to do with genetics and many other stuff, but yeah, it definitely has a lot to do with your outlook and care.8 -
I have a friend who is 91. We met at a cafe a couple of years where we found we were both going to the theatre that afternoon.
After the theatre he asked for my email address so that we could meet up again and we now meet up every few weeks, (except during winter), either to go to the theatre or another outing. He still drives, although this depends on the weather, and lately he's used the bus more often.
He goes out for meals with another female friend, travels to a new town to get his haircut as his hairdresser moved - he is in the U3A and plays bridge and goes to a jazz appreciation group. His social life is far busier than mine. He travels abroad frequently, his only concession to old age is that he now asks his family to sort out the travel arrangements.
He has a very trim figure and looks years younger than he is. I really need to up my game if I'm going to be as healthy at that age, asuming that I'll reach it6 -
The way I think of it, when you are young you train for fun or glory or excitement. Later you train because it centers you and makes you complete. Still later you train to remain healthy. Eventually you train to fight against your greatest opponent, age, the one who stalks us all. Your greatest opponent will be age.4
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ttippie2000 wrote: »The way I think of it, when you are young you train for fun or glory or excitement. Later you train because it centers you and makes you complete. Still later you train to remain healthy. Eventually you train to fight against your greatest opponent, age, the one who stalks us all. Your greatest opponent will be age.
Dunno. Stage III cancer was a pretty decent opponent, when I wasn't "old" (44 at the time). So was full-bore cancer treatment.
There are other "great opponents", though: Accident, illness, dementia, none of them necessarily age-related. Some of us will die young, and never meet "greatest opponent age", and some will die quickly without much age-related disability. (My martial arts teacher husband, fit guy, died at 45 of esophageal cancer: Playing softball regularly in a league in September, dead in October.) I knew a guy who was born with cerebral palsy, and trained hard and regularly just to have a life a little bit like one I could have without any particular effort at all (and even with a bunch of bad habits on top of my ease).
Age per se being the greatest opponent, I think, signals kind of a fortunate life. I know I'm grateful for mine.
I think I hear what you're saying, and generally agree, though.8 -
ttippie2000 wrote: »The way I think of it, when you are young you train for fun or glory or excitement. Later you train because it centers you and makes you complete. Still later you train to remain healthy. Eventually you train to fight against your greatest opponent, age, the one who stalks us all. Your greatest opponent will be age.
I hear where you're coming from, although my view is different. Due to circumstances that were only slightly controllable by me, my younger years were my greatest opponent, by far. Given the opportunity to do it all again, I would decline.
The answers and experience I've gained through the years, and believe it or not age itself, have given me the freedom I never had as a youth. I certainly don't have all the answers, never will. But I have the freedom to let it be someone else's turn now.
That will make sense to some and probably sound silly to others, and that's ok. The years have been better to me, than not. 😉🙂3 -
Age per se being the greatest opponent, I think, signals kind of a fortunate life. I know I'm grateful for mine.
Great point, Ann. Thank you for the reminder to be grateful for the gift of old age. All of us have lost someone who did not receive that gift.
I don't know if there is an afterlife. I hope there is, though. There are several people I hope to see again.
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