AINE O’CONNOR

How do you know a prime number?

My parents have long said that while getting old is not a choice, becoming elderly is. Basically turning into a codger is a state of mind. They walk the walk which has informed my view of getting older too. A conversation started amongst friends about being “in your prime”. When you think of the phrase it does conjure youth, beauty and probably fertility so if you were to pick the age of prime it would most likely be twentysomething, thirtysomething at a stretch. That’s when you fulfil most beauty criteria, or get as close as you’re going to at any rate, your bod is at its best and your fertility is pinging. In theory it’s downhill all the way from there.

But “prime” just means best and while yes, no question, I was much more youthful and presumably fertile 20 years ago, I dispute that much else was at its best. I was far less confident and much more fearful. I cared much more what others thought, was less certain of what I thought myself and as a result perhaps more inclined to judge others. You can make yourself feel better by putting others down, I’d love to say I didn’t do that, but I think it would be a lie. Feck it, if you don’t admit a fault you can’t fix it.

Only psycho/sociopaths don’t care what others think, but I care far less now than ever before. Your mind frees and limitations wither. You’re actually grown up so you don’t have to pretend any more and with that comes an almost childlike freedom. The world feels bigger and possibilities greater, adventure is appealing, hope blossoms, only two things matter, love and happiness. There is lots of room for improvement but arguably it’s only when you give up on getting better that anyone passes their prime. So really, who’s to say when exactly is prime time?