I’m a baby boomer. Remember us? The generation that thought we would live forever, and could not relate to anyone over 30?
We disdained old age and all that comes with it as something that happened to our parents and their friends.
Well, guess what? We’ve become them.
Losing it can look like a lot of things. It can be wrinkly skin, gray hair, joint replacements, cataracts and hearing aids.
A myriad of physical changes affects my wardrobe, too. Bye-bye bikinis, crop tops, sleeveless dresses, miniskirts, short shorts, stilettos, and on it goes. You get the picture, and it’s not that pretty.
The value put on looks is nothing new, and the aging standards for men and women are so different.
Women, however, are held to higher expectations. No matter how we try to accept the physical changes, size 4 is no more.
Even in the year 2024 we’re sensing a loss of desirability rather than pounds, especially when we realize our children are getting to be middle age themselves. We should be grateful and happy to still be in this world!
I recently attended a gathering for a friend who died after a long fight with cancer and who had requested a party rather than a funeral or celebration of life. Most of the guests had not seen each other in a long while.
There were a lot of “Gee, you look great” and “You never age!” exclamations — followed by a whispered “Wow, she’s really aged!” as she walked away.
Merchandisers of anti-aging skin products and hair growth serums are having a field day on Instagram and TikTok.
Forget about just botox, which is for men and women. The scary thing is not just forgetting where you left your keys, wallet, iPad or sunglasses, but memory loss is a sign of early onset of dementia.
We are told that exercising, eating a Mediterranean diet, getting plentiful sleep, drinking water and staying social are keys to extending our life.
I think we all can agree that quality not quantity is the desirable goal of healthy aging, even though most boomers, if they’re being honest, would like to look like our younger selves without reliving some of those younger years, especially when our kids were teenagers.
Grandparenting is another story and way better than expected. I am blessed with four grandchildren, and they live not that far away. Having the time and opportunity to enjoy them has been very rewarding.
I love to spoil them, buy impractical birthday gifts, help pick them up at school if needed, bake cookies, give lots of hugs and kisses, and read Goodnight Moon.
Yes, I can still stand up and sit down on the floor, and run up and down the stairs, but then I can say goodbye when it’s time for me to go home.
Back at my house, I can put my feet up, watch the news and feed my two barky dogs. I text my pals, scroll through Instagram, or even chat on the phone with my old friends in Chicago.
It’s a pretty sweet life, and I’m making new memories and new friends.
I just want to remember them in the morning.