Stop lying, start boasting, just get better with age

Everyone gets old if they live long enough. It’s a fact of life. We have no control over our age. From infancy, we grow older each year, and (hopefully) smarter.

When we were youngsters, we wanted to be older. I remember when I was 9, saying proudly, “I’m 9 going on 10.” I got over that when I was around 15 or 16. Twenties and 30s were pretty fine, but then I hit 40, and I was “over the hill.”

Supposedly, it’s all downhill after that , but actually that’s the easy part. Going downhill always is, isn’t it? In reality, that’s the prime of life.

When I reached my 50s and 60s, I became less open about blurting out my age, but at 70 and 80, it’s a real accomplishment, and I started bragging. As the saying goes: when you stop lying about your age and start bragging, you’re old.

Now that I’m past the eightdecade mark, I somehow manage to bring it up in conversation all the time.

The last 20 years have actually been the best part of my life. No more getting up early and flying off to a 9-to -5 job. Sleep as late as I like, and go to bed whenever I want. I love taking advantage of senior discounts on everything from hotels to museums and theaters to dining out. And respect like I’ve never had before! Mary Scobey

(This snow-white head of hair doesn’t hurt. I call it platinum blonde.)

Handsome young men rush to open doors for me or give up their seats in the waiting room. For the first time in my life, I feel free to speak my mind and don’t hesitate to give advice. There’s time to pursue hobbies and interests I’ve always put aside like writing and painting. Countless magazines and papers have printed my stories, and I have published two books. I also took an art class recently and now enjoy doing pastels of my grandchildren.

And speaking of ... I never knew I could sprint so fast until recently while babysitting our 3-year- old grandson who took a notion to ride his tricycle in the street. But what a joy those three grandsons are to my husband of 59 years and me!

Regrets? Only one major one. It seems that most of my life I was always looking