What Age Do You Want To Be?

[forHISglory]

A friend sent me this article. I thought it was well written and summarized a lot of general attitudes toward aging. I think I have always wanted to be older than I actually am, but I'm not sure why. Now that I am 59 and 1/2 (LOL!), I think I am satisfied to be at my actual age. I have enjoyed growing older, and am always wondering what opportunities and adventures the next year will bring.

Maybe part of it for me is that I had so many family members grow to be very old, and I spent a lot of time around those grandparents and great grandparents and great uncles and aunts. Almost all of them had great enthusiasm for life and were fun to be around.

How about you? Do you enjoy the age you are now? Do you look forward to being older? Do you wish you were younger? Or wish you could relive a year?

Here's the article for you to enjoy and ponder:

Views on Aging by George Carlin

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life ! You become 21.. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But! wait!! ! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I was JUST 92.'

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

[momof2joys]

This is a wonderful article!!! Thank you for sharing it!! If I could be any age I wish to be 16 again. I had everything a great body, endless energy, etc. I am going to be 25 in a month and 1/2, and I can honestly say that I wish I would have taken better care of myself when I was out of high school, but that is why I am working so hard now to get back to that energy. I have to, I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old!!!

Great post!!!

[Luv2BeFrugal]

My mom sent me a copy of this...it's so cute!! I think we should learn to take pride in our age...regardless of what it is...

I figure I've "made it" this long...shouldn't each year we've achieved be counted as a success?

[cab54]

I LOVE the age I am. 54. I wouldn't go back for anything.

[Pemberleyan]

Hmmm. I think I'd like to be 25. I still had my figure, my health, my metabolism. I'll turn 46 next month, and I guess I feel there is less to celebrate or look forward to than ever. My career is over, my youth is over and romance -- I won't even go there. Okay. Sorry -- I know you can hear the violins. I should try to count my blessings and forget the rest.

[PrairieRose]

*This* age and stage (48 & 1/2 lol) is perfect. I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here, honestly. I feel better than I've felt in 20 years, life is good.

[Monner 1]

Lets see I am happy at the age I am at "double nickels" mind wise but I sure wish I had my 25 year old body back. I think as human nature nobody is ever satisfied with their age. All I have to say is

Monner

[khaski]

Having worked in health care as an x-ray tech before I was home with the kids, I PROMISE you age is relative to how you feel- I have seen 44 year olds who look and act like thye're 70, and 85 year olds who act like they're 25 (and while I am sad to say would not physically be confused with a 25 yo, the ones who act and think young sure do look YEARS younger). A certain co-worker/friend and I always got excited when we got a 'centurian'- someone 100+....there is always a lot to be learned from them, and they' re generally happy to share.

One patient I remember most fondly was an 85+ yo man- still worked construction 6 days a week, carried his deceased wife's mini Bible in his pocket. Inside he carried her 'lucky dollars'- which he never spent- the few times he spent one, it brought him very bad luck. She was quite a lucky woman, to spend her life with that one!

[VanVivCam]

I'm 33 and i love this age. So much I have learned.

I would like to go back about 8 years ago and do a few things differently (not spend so much money wasting and really save to make some differences financially)

[The Muse]

I'm 33 and happy here. I look and feel my best, have a great career, and my marriage is strong and happy. I do not long for my 20's at all.

[mnmarty03]

I'm 23.. and happy. Of course, I suppose a lot of people are happy at that age.

One motto I really try to live by, however, is to not regret anything.. a lot of people (even in their early 20's) say that they would LOVE to be back in high school or 18 again.. I honestly don't have any desire to be. I enjoyed my time there, but I don't want to go back... I try to just look forward.

Hopefully I'll keep that attitude throughout my life.

[LexTysMommy]

I am 29. I am very happy where i am at financially, mentally, career wise. I wish I had my 25 year old body, but other then that wouldnt change much!

[shoiji]

Can't think of any age I wish I could go back to. I like the age I am now and always try to stay young at heart. Just need to make sure the wardrobe represents my age and not my young at heart mind set. LOL

[Teresa T]

At 48, if I could go back I would change so many things. But that is impossible so I won't worry about it. Much.

However I grew up with a mother who had me later in life and always seemed and acted old. She envied youth and would wail about how she was young once. Now she thinks my age is young. But when she was my age she was old.

With her as an example, I try not to worry about my age and I do a pretty good job at that.

[dcompton]

I've pretty much always liked being the age I was - especially when I turned 40 and after. I loved my 40th birthday. I felt like I had "arrived" - a real person. Well, that was 20 years ago, and 60 is great too. I highly recommend it.