Comments on Aging

I have a few comments regarding age 60 and retirement that I wish to add to the discussion. First, age 60.

Now remember, I am not quite 60. I am 59 years and 4 months on December 13. In denial? No, no, not me. (Maybe just a little). But, admittedly, there are little reminders that I may be headed in the "aging" direction at an accelerated pace. For instance, waking up in the great Northwest, looking out the window at the cold, misty air and the frost lined trees and thinking, in my younger days, that I could not wait to get outside. Nowadays, I straighten up my back, kick out my titanium inserted knee a couple of times to get the fluids running, slip into my fleece lined slippers and shuffle downstairs for my first cup of coffee and a look at the internet. Going outside? I think I will wait until it warms up a little bit.

When it is time to head out for the day, I bundle up to walk the 15 feet to my car, thinking, "perhaps I should get one of those hats with ear muffs that come down on both sides of the head. You know the hats I am talking about. They snap tightly around the chin. I like that. Kind of stylish, actually". When I am in the car I hit the radio button and turn on the only two stations that are preset. Oldies and classical. And I am off.

After a day of doing whatever it is that I do, I turn the car in the direction of home and allow it to take me there, almost like a horse returning to the barn. I am looking forward to the low cholesterol lunch I will eat and the nap I will take.

In the evening, I will have frozen yogurt instead of ice cream for desert, read a little, listen to the news and marvel at how the youth of this country just doesn't seem to get it (sound familiar?), slip on my fleece lined slippers and head for the sack.

If all of this resonates as a little "heavy" it is not meant to sound that way. I embrace this time of life. There are some things I do now that I did not do in my youth that have improved, sometimes dramatically, the quality of my day to day life. For example:

I listen more than ever. I hear what people are saying. I always ask them something about what they said after they said it. This allows them to know I am listening to them. Who knows, I might just learn something. I write down folks names so that I may recall it the next time I see the person. It always brings a smile to a person's face when you, at the very least, can address them by their first name.

I take off my sun glasses from time to time so I can see everything as it truly is. Doing so also allows me to remember exactly how a meadow appeared at a given moment, blanketed in early morning fog or how a tree turns colors as it continues its annual journey towards seasonal maturity.

I remove my Ipod earbuds during walks, halt, for a moment, the rocking and rolling and allow myself to be blanketed in the "sounds of silence".

And I breathe. Deep, deep breaths of our magnificent Northwest air. Doing so clears my eyesight, removes the cobwebs from my brain and sweeps negative thoughts from my mind.

So there you are. My thoughts of turning 60. I like where I have been and I love where I am headed. Fleece slippers and all.

Now, quick notes about retirement. I asked one friend how he likes retirement. His words "This is great!". I asked my brother, Glen, the elder in the family, the same question: The answer: "Retirement sucks!". I am not sure where to go with all of that. Think I will keep my job for a bit longer and work it all out some other time.