I had a funny moment at work a few days ago. I was at an elderly client's home, preparing his lunch for him, when he commented, 'you know, you've still got an alright figure for an old bird.'Well! I took a moment to get over my shock at the 'old bird' bit and thanked him, with a bit of a chuckle. He'd obviously meant it as a compliment. I also chose not to point out to him just how much older than me he is! But it got me thinking about age. Like most people in their mid forties, I still feel like I'm much younger. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say I feel like I'm about thirty. I can't explain why - maybe it's that my health hasn't changed much since about that age. I still feel like I have a fairly youthful attitude to life in general too, which helps.
I forget sometimes that I'm from a different generation to my children. We have a close relationship and agree on most things, so to have them remind me occasionally that I don't really 'get' what they're talking about is always a bit of a surprise. Perfectly normal of course - I remember doing the same with my Mum (who was very young at heart). She never showed offence, which was lovely, and I try to do the same for my kids. They won't know how young they'll still feel in their forties until they get there, so it's not something to take too personally. I laugh it off and remind them that they'll be 'old' too one day.
I remember when the Caveman and I were first together and he took me to meet his Dad, who was an older father and already in his sixties then. He was still working part time and kept very active, doing all his own work around the house and yard. Some of his attitudes were outdated, and he could be a stubborn old man when it came to his opinions, but he was another 'young at heart' type. He generally had a good sense of humour and enjoyed conversation with people of all ages. He and my mother got on brilliantly and were good friends until his death, many years later - I always felt they both recognised a kindred spirit in each other.
I guess I went through a period of feeling older after my Mum passed away and I was grieving. I struggled to stay active outside of work and ate too much of the wrong things, then discovered after a couple of months that I would get breathless just going for a short walk. That threw me into a bit of a panic, so I improved my diet and lifestyle after that and lost the little bit of weight I'd put on. My general health has improved and I move more easily, which also helps with mental health.
So, old men's opinions aside, I still feel young. Besides, I can always take comfort in the fact that even now, when strangers ring the house, they'll sometimes say to me, 'Can I speak to your mum or dad please?' I may be getting older but I think my voice missed the memo!
