Getting Old

I was talking to my mother on the phone the other day when the question of how old I am came up. It didn’t really occur to me what my age was, I don’t really keep track. In fact I don’t really keep track of any of my friends or family’s ages. I can remember certain birthdays but almost never birth years. I have no idea how old my mother or father are. I know my brother is two years younger than me, my uncle is 3 years younger than my dad and my best friend is one year younger than I am. I have no idea how that translates to an actual age though.

I didn’t think much more about it until later that night after getting out of the shower. I went to put on some socks and shorts and realized just how much more difficult it is to simply bend over to perform those tasks than it was 15 years ago. How long have I been living with discomfort? When exactly did this start? I say discomfort because I know that there are plenty of people my age and younger who are dealing with real pain.

I guess it never occurred to me that life at 35 was going to be as different as it is at 20. I wish I could still play soccer or basketball for 2 hours and not pay for it for the next 3 days. I wish I could bend over to put on my socks without having to brace myself. I wish the cuts and scrapes I acquired healed in a week instead of the months that it takes now. When I was 20 I could walk across the room a couple of times and loose 5 lbs. Now if I walk across the room I seem to gain 10. I wish every joint from the hip down didn’t crack and pop just from walking up the stairs. I wish I didn’t feel like taking a nap on Sunday afternoon instead of playing some ball. I wish that 15 years from now I didn’t have to look back to today and say “Oh to be 35 again”.

Even though in my mind I feel no different today then 15 years ago, I know my body is starting to remind me otherwise. Fortunately, I’ve grown more patient with age. Some of you who know me personally might find that hard to believe but trust me, I was once a timmie too. I’m definitely wiser today than yesterday. I have a greater appreciation for family and friends now. I may never have the body and stamina that I had at 20 again and that’s ok. The good news is that no matter what, I’ll never be 2old2play.