Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Why I’m leaping into life over 50
Verdun marked 101 by going skydiving with family
BY definition, it has to be one of the trickiest questions we humans face – how do we grow old gracefully? It’s something I’ve wrestled with, especially because I have just celebrated the big 5-0!
Back in the day, my birthdays were about extravagance, all-nighters and lashings of sambuca. These days they’re more about a birthday tea with the kids and a guilty extra slice of chocolate cake. This weekend, two of my best friends are coming to stay so it may get a bit wilder. But where do you draw the line? Verdun Hayes, who turned 101 last month, celebrated a few days ago by going skydiving with three generations of his family in Devon. “Hoorah!” shouted the D-day veteran as he landed. Kind of graceful I guess, though I noticed that when his wife was still alive she’d put the kibosh on the idea. I suspect there’s a happy medium between falling out of aeroplanes and slowly declining in front of the telly. We have elderly couples living on either side of our house and the guys (not the ladies, intriguingly), Colin and David, spend hours every day in their lovely gardens – and look healthy and agile for it. Now, Joan Collins is someone who has pulled off ageing spectacularly, though I can’t quite see her gardening to be honest, let alone skydiving. Did you catch her on the BAFTAS? She is a woman who most 50-year-olds would give their right bingo wing to look like – and she is 83! Dealing with the prospect of growing old can be tricky, as I found out when writing my bestselling book The Joy of Big Knickers, available at all good bookstores, and probably, by now, in the bargain bin. So, what have I learned so far about all this. I’ll sum it up as the BIG 5-0: B e prepared. Think ahead and plan for all eventualities, including the worst that can happen. But don’t dwell on that - be prepared for the great things that can come too. I nsist on putting yourself first sometimes. On aeroplanes they tell you to put your oxygen masks on first before anyone else’s. That’s because you are not in a position to help others if you cannot breathe yourself. So don’t feel selfish: take care of yourself. G ive away the past. Don’t forget it but don’t be trapped by it. Make peace and move on. Don’t be defined by who you were, but who you could be. 5 Also try to remember these five things: 1. Embrace new stuff. 2. Find the space to chill out. 3. Allow yourself to act crazy sometimes. 4. Keep a close eye on your health – and your energy levels and 5. Be kind – to others, yes, but also to yourself. 0 Tell the world, “you ain’t seen nothing yet!” So as my friends’ visit nears I’m feeling adventurous. No parachutes are planned but the top will be coming off the sambuca.