I am 60…now what?

When I turned 40, friends placed a large sign in our front yard, and neighbors driving by honked. Lordy, lordy, look who turned 40 it read. When I turned 50, I got the funniest cards, and all made fun of my age, but for my 60th, no one dared to do that. That kind of speaks for itself. I guess it means

It’s official, the fun is over!

Guess what? I got three handwritten birthday cards, one even via snail mail from my blogging friend Lisa. Oh, she so made my day. It was such a nostalgic moment. Opening the mailbox and finding a card in it. Oh, the good old times (Yep, I sound like 60).

How do I feel now that I’m 60 for thirty days? I would say, sometimes like this, sometimes like that. I’m already noticing that the bones aren’t as elastic as they were when I was 40. Some things take longer now, which is ok. I’m not afraid of the number 60. I am already aware that, according to statistics, I have reached the last third of my life. However, the wheel cannot be turned back. Do I want to be 20 again? Maybe physically, otherwise, probably not.

Actually, I never measured my life in thirds or decades. For me, the milestones were from 0-20, from 20-40, and from 40-60 and now I have reached the end chapter, from 60-80. Who knows, perhaps there might be even an add-on from 80+, squeezed in at the end like an epilogue in a book.

I am in the third quarter of four. Still, so much time left. Sounds good!

But…I have RA and according to statistics, which of course I will prove wrong, this disease can knock off 15 years of my life expectancy, which is at the present time for all women in the US 77 years, which also means I could give away the spoon, or kick the bucket with 62 already. Sounds not so good! Unacceptable I have a right to get older, don’t I? I have a right to not believe in statistics and prophecies. Or we simply move to Monaco, where according to the World Population Review, locals live to an average age of 87 and voila I will get a few years back. That was easy!

To be honest and you probably guessed, I don’t give a hoot. I am grateful that I was allowed to live to be so old. And shouldn’t we enjoy every day of our lives?

Does it matter if I am around for five more days, weeks, months, or years? Quantity over quality, it’s all up to me to make it count.

But I don’t want to philosophize about getting older today.

My birthday was a normal working day for me. Which working person can celebrate stress-free on a Tuesday during the week?

It was a fun evening. Dinner must have been good because I don’t remember (there we go again that aging thing). I gave myself (yes myself) the bestest birthday present ever and yes, you guessed right again, I will write about it because the world needs to see and know.

Retirement is approaching

I’m one of those people who likes to work. But if I didn’t have to, I could do without -for a while, then I would volunteer myself senseless -considering my health stays where it is, or even gets better (any other way would not be appreciated.)

Retirement, yes, that’s definitely an advantage of getting older. I’m still counting the years, but retirement isn’t so far away.

You know what else is great? I can now say to my friends: “I’m too old for this shit!” and it’s true.

In general, I think I am now at an age where I will get away with a lot of stuff and I will take full advantage of it. The way I look at it, at my age, you can (or should) forgive me a lot.

How do I look?

“You’ve held up really well for your age”, or my favorite, “You look good for your age.” Who doesn’t know these sayings? It is certainly not meant in a bad way but rather said that way. The “for your age” could actually be misunderstood. Does it mean MY age is bad?

Only people who have known me for a long time should be allowed to tell me this. Isn’t “you look good” enough? Be that as it may. Today, at 60, we look fresher than our grandparents.

This is what it looks like at 60. Now you know 🙂

And now? No idea. I just carry on as before and enjoy life.