Growing older … and losing so much in the process

• Posted in General musings

Today is my friend Keri’s 29th birthday — also known as the last one she’ll ever have.

Because, of course, next year is the big 3-0. And the age I think when most folks finally realize that their 20s are gone and they are officially moving into middle age.

And that getting old can really suck. Wrinkles. Gray hair. Creaky knees. It certainly ain’t no picnic. 

But mainly, I think it sucks because we lose so much of the silly, goofy joy we had as kids. There was a time when I was insanely proud of the fact that I had eight pieces of pizza for dinner. Now, it’s more like Hey! Guess what? I only consumed 127 calories the entire day! Do I really want to be proud of self-starvation?

When I was a kid, I didn’t mind getting sweaty and dirty if it meant I could go play in the creek and look for crawdads. Now, I don’t even swim, except maybe once a year. Part of this is lack of opportunity. But part of it is the fact that it seems like it’s just so much trouble, and there’s so much stuff to drag around. Bathing suit, towels, sunscreen, flip-flops, cover-ups … It just doesn’t seem worth the effort anymore.

When I was a kid, I’d spend hours in the woods behind my house just wandering around and looking at trees and rocks and leaves. Now, just about every single minute of my day is already planned out. Day job. Exercise time. Dinner. Book work. Maybe watch a little TV. Maybe read — if I have time. I never just sit around and relax or do whatever pops into my head. I always feel like I need to be productive. To be doing something important. 

Yeah, getting old can really suck.

What about you? Does the march of time bother you? Inquiring minds want to know …

8 Responses to “Growing older … and losing so much in the process”

  1. Amalia says:

    I am fortunate that I work with kids, so I get to enjoy kid stuff and pretend I’m “Creating Commonalities With Students.” At the very least, my students remind me how the simplest things can be fantastic.

    Getting older does suck, though… I’m only 25 and my hair is already 20% gray! Maybe I should stop having birthdays now…

  2. Jennifer Estep says:

    Simple things are the best. I think we need to remember that as adults, and not be afraid to be silly and goofy and just have fun.

    I wouldn’t quite having birthdays just yet. After all, 30 is the new 20, and 40 is the new 30. At least, that’s what they say on TV. 🙂

  3. Edie says:

    Jennifer, my 30th birthday was a loooong time ago, and I can still be like a kid. I twirled the other day. 😆

    127 calories is scary! I never ate 8 pieces of pizza either, but I have been known to eat nearly a half gallon of ice cream. 😳

  4. Jennifer Estep says:

    Ice cream is one of my vices, especially rich, chocolate milkshakes or creamy, dreamy strawberry ones. Now I’m hungry! I may have to stop at Sonic on the way to work. 😈

  5. celeber says:

    I love that you twirled Edie!

    That takes me back. I have a 2, 12 and 13 year old at home and they help keep me young and goofy. My youngest loves to dance, so I get to hear “Come dance with me Mommy!” a lot.
    That helps, so does football and volleyball with the other ones.
    They won’t twirl with me anymore.

  6. Jennifer Estep says:

    Kids can help keep you young … until they start wanting to grow up themselves. Why are we always in such a hurry to do that? We should just take life as it comes and leave plenty of time for fun things … like twirling. 🙂

  7. Wheezley Blighter says:

    I just turned 38 the other day. Time marches on and you either get used to it, or you lie to yourself about it. I only feel old in the mornings when I don’t want to get out of bed. Then again, I didn’t want to get up when I was younger… At any rate, you are only as old as you feel like being, or acting. I shall remain an eternal 15 year old!

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