Age is just a number

Age, always a bone of contention, when I was younger, I wanted to be older, now I’m older I miss being younger, it seems us humans are never satisfied.

Don’t misunderstand me, it’s not that I want to be young again like some people I know, Oh no, I wouldn’t go through that again, its the flexibility of my joints and muscles I miss, that’s all, I would not want to be a teenager in this day and age , I am happy being the age I am right now.

It’s true age can limit what you do and where you go and how you live, even your quality of life. It can affect your health in a negative way if you are unlucky, draw the short straw and have one of the degenerative illness associated with age, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart problems, breathing problems etc. to name bit a few. However, looking after yourself is now a multi-billion-dollar industry and it’s not thought to be vain to get yourself a personal trainer or eat right, stay hydrated and work out. These things in my teenage years would have been unthinkable unless you were a film star or a pop idol or athlete, things have changed a lot.

I don’t think that’s a bad thing either, it feels good to be healthy, to eat right, to go to the gym, but COVID19 put a stop to that right? Wrong, thousands of people just worked out at home instead, they posted their videos online to prove it and I say good for them.

I wasn’t one of them though, my working out days are over, my body does not need that jumping and jigging anymore thank you very much, but I do try to eat right and stay hydrated, that’s very big on my list.

Instead I poddle, I poddle about doing odd jobs around the house or garden, it keeps me mobile and I keep on top of things that need to be done, one of our sons also helps me a lot, he’s very good at working around the house and mending things, he keeps the grass in the yard up together for me as well, he’s a great help and fun to work with, to which I say thank you Simon.

Every year that goes by adds another slant to my age and what I can or can’t do, it’s becoming a comedy of errors , but I do love a challenge and I employ work-arounds, I used to run, then walked, followed by limping, now I use a cane. That’s ok as long as I am still ambulatory and making my way around under my own steam.

Being an organic, because that’s what we are, we test our bodies every day, pushing it, stressing it, not getting enough sleep or not eating enough or maybe over eating, pushing it way past what it should do, breaking bones or tearing muscles, its a miracle we last as long as we do I think, the level of healing it does to repair must be massive, No wonder I’ve always needed naps throughout my life, I was always falling down and hurting myself so I guess it needed to mend, good job I heal fast and well.

After a short nap, I was good for miles.

Once I got to my 30’s I started to notice a change in myself and subsequent ones after that, that’s ok, life is a journey and what a ride it is. I started to try to look after myself a little, especially after my father had a heart attack, that was a wake up call for us.

It scared us all, thankfully he survived, but it shook us as a family.

So, look after the body you’ve got, try to treat it fairly, because even if you are rich, if you don’t have your health you’ve got nothing.

And remember this; age is just a number, wash your hands and stay hydrated.