Do you think you are ageing gracefully or is there some work to be done?
I had to stop and think about this question.
What does “gracefully” mean? My dictionary doesn’t have it except as an adverb of grace.
Under grace, we find words like charm, attractiveness, beauty, and ease of movement.
I’ve been on the planet longer than most, having entered my 9th decade (for you Las Vegas Raiders fans, that means I’m in my 80s), and, candidly, there isn’t much about aging that I would consider graceful.
Charming? I can’t think of a single person in my circle of family, friends, and acquaintances that would herald me as charming. I think Webster’s antonym would better apply: inelegant, stiff, unchangeable, nondisposable, gaseous.
Attractiveness? Yes – to my daughter’s two standard poodles. Beyond that, the ranks dwindle to, well, zero.
Beauty? Exit from shower tells it all – it ain’t a pretty picture.
Ease of movement? Not bad for an octogenarian, but only because I take my physical health very seriously, and do serious weight training and balance exercises. Thankfully, the grandkids don’t need me on the floor with them anymore. Half of that playtime went to getting up.
Trying to match graceful and aging is too much work.
I’ve decided not to try to be graceful but rather to move to the antonym side.
There’s an argument for being inelegant at this age. Most of us octogenarians have something to say that’s important. Unfortunately, it requires being inelegant to get anyone’s attention since most have sort of written us off as irrelevant based on the number.
Yeah, I’m largely unchangeable. At 80, we have all the answers hoping that any day now, somebody will start asking the questions.
So, I’m not going to pursue graceful. I’m choosing “audacious” as my adjective of choice and the style that I will finish out with.
I don’t think you will find much graceful in the definition of audacious:
- Extremely bold or daring
- Recklessly brave
- Fearless
- Extremely original
- Without restriction to prior ideas
- Highly inventive
- Recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety,
- Insolent
- Brazen
- Lively
- Unrestrained
- Uninhibited
Some of the above come naturally and were built in when the universe assembled my parts. #8 and #9 are like breathing. Some are coming along nicely. Most still need work.
“Do not go gentle into that good night.” Dylan Thomas
I’m not into poetry, but I’m all in with Dylan.
Better to make a ruckus on the way out than to go silently into the night.
More like this –
Than this-
What have I got to lose?
As one who is just three years behind you, Gary, I applaud all you wrote! I’m not going quietly into that good night either, although the “reckless” part doesn’t apply much anymore. Been there. Done that.
But alive? YES!
Loving life?
YES and YES!
Aging? Yes, thank goodness; the opposite is just so sad!
” we have all the answers hoping that any day now, somebody will start asking the questions.” I am just a few years behind you Gary, enjoying every new thing I still able to learn from you. The younger than us still don’t realize or ‘care’ (so sad) what a huge precious’s gold mine they are neglecting and completely miss. .
Wish there were more easy to find advisors like you. never found any including my closest family that never volunteered any of their experience or knowledge. As for the younger generation as you mentioned no interest in listening or learning. I was ‘hoping’ (I know not really a good plan) ‘ them ‘ having an idea that ‘maybe’ one day a large ‘Golden goose’ might be left for them, which will require basic knowledge of how to take care of it could be a necessary .- Not happening yet. Any suggestions about that subject?
i enjoy your writing since you are focused on active aging. i have been doing yoga for 25+ years and am generally healthy in spite of business travel for 7 million over 45+ years. there are few poses ever called in a typical yoga class that i cannot do. my wife (never done a yoga class) and i are lifetime hikers. my dream next year (age 75) is the grand canyon again…rim to rim to rim. 60+ miles and only 40% on level ground.
I love the list Gary got to post more on my blog about education how about adding balls, cojones, huevos because now at 60 I have nothing to lose by enthusiastically following your list to be bold, audacious, daring, out of the box full-speed ahead now or never is the attitude. Every time I read about some famous actor who dies at a young age I go wow what I would have done just to have a few seconds in a movie or have the career of that guy now it’s my chance to have a few seconds in the movie. Your the best Gary.