Not Dressing My Age (and Other Things I'm Refusing at nearly 70)

A Week (or Two) of Silence

I have not had a chat for ages...well, a week or two. But life happens and we get interrupted in our forward-moving path. I have had a consistent discussion and experience over the last few weeks, which have been super interesting. Well, interesting to me.

The Big Seven-Oh

So I am looking at the BIG very BIG Seven Oh (70), which should be a big deal right? But the brain has not caught up yet! The body is going down fighting or rather I should say not giving up fighting. Am I lucky, or do I have good genes?

One of the conversations or comments was in my Barre class when my instructor laughingly told the young ladies that they will be grateful about the exercises when they are 70!!!

The Retirement Question

Then another discussion - when am I going to retire? Seriously, just because I might look mature (I refuse to say old), why should I retire? What does that even mean?

And my last discussion with one of my clients chatting about her parents who are sorta the same age - retired to the couch! And no amount of her nagging them to get active is helping.

Mom at Almost Ninety

My mom is going to be 90 (even bigger nine ohhhhhh) next year. She 'retired' 3 years ago, only because she cannot see very clearly because of macular degeneration and she says the computer frustrates her because they keep changing things in the accounting program she has (updates frustrate everybody especially if they move the buttons).

And besides the knees being replaced and both hips (which the last hip op I think was a bit debilitating), she is healthy with no major symptoms - she complains at her age she does not have as many pills to take as her 10 years younger husband. I know sneakily she likes bragging about it.

Dressing Your Age?

So back to not feeling my age. I was accused of not dressing my age - but what does dressing your age mean?

Although, please ladies....give up the baggy shorts, especially around the back end. Man, or rather Ma'am, that does not look sexy at all. We know our bums are getting thinner (yep those glute exercises do help) but really, especially jean shorts! Buy jeans that stretch - is also fabulous on the tummy part of your body. We are lucky nowadays we can dress however we want...which was not always the case right? I NEVER liked 'crimplene' and we call it something different now - that polyester and cotton blend fabric that was supposed to be wrinkle-free and easy-care - so no, not dressing my age for awhile I think.

Then and Now: Two Generations Compared

We are moving into a very interesting era (besides AI which also has been around forever - far longer than some people think).

Here are the similarities and differences of my life and my mom's.

She was always very very active playing tennis, but there was never the good habits of stretching, exercising to keep limber and strong (not just playing tennis), wearing appropriate shoes (and they were not even available), taking vitamins, and generally looking after your health. But I also have to add that it might have been different here in the USA; it was not in South Africa or Namibia, and probably the UK either (no idea about other countries).

I took prenatal vitamins during pregnancy and looked after my health. Mom's friends were smoking during pregnancies. Thanks to Jane Fonda, we started doing exercises for the body (well now we know that was crazy but I absolutely loved it). I took part in mini triathlons well past my 50s and gave it up only because of the 3 hours a day of training I had to do. Well, maybe I was ready to tackle something different after 6 years.

We are more aware of wellness checks, there are more cures, and we are aware of keeping our bodies healthier with better eating habits and vitamins and exercise. People are getting older because we are keeping them healthier longer with better methods. My brother realized he was having a stroke and got himself to the doctor and hospital in time for intervention. We know more about our bodies than ever before...so the interesting part is how long are we going to live and what happens during that time. Is it quality or just keeping us going? But I think that is totally up to you...or me...and I want to be active as long as possible. But one of the questions is - will the brain cooperate? And as we know that is also improving - keeping us more cognizant because there are more cures.

The Box People Put You In

My sister believes that people put you in a box and I think so as well. My mom had her 80th birthday party and suddenly everybody realized her real age, and they started treating her differently. Like an old lady! And that I sincerely believe affected her mindset of herself as well.

So it is a conundrum of bragging about your age and how fabulous you are or keeping your age under wraps and let people make up their own minds. It is not easy not to brag how wonderful you are and 'they' are not (whoever they are)...and not dressing appropriately (smiley face).

The New Math of Aging

The latest observation is what I read that the 60s is the new 40s. I won't go that far, but hey it sounds and feels like it is.

It boggles the mind, but I blame social conditioning that has or has not changed our attitudes. We are supposed to retire at the age of 60? 65? and then enjoy life. Enjoying life is actually a bit expensive.

Purpose Over Age

And I believe you have to have a purpose, a passion that propels you forward and makes you want to get up in the morning and you cannot stop thinking about how to solve a problem or what is next.