Old Age Habits

I used to smile and say to myself, "I hope I am not that way when I am old, whenever I would see my parents exhibit those all too common old age symptoms. But ow, I am old too and I am imitating (unwillingly) some of the physical and mental decline they showed when they were elderly. We have no choice in the matter, as aging is beyond human control. Therefore, it's probably healthy to think at age 15 that you won't be like mom and dad.  Today I mention some of those symptoms, and perhaps you may already have the same today.

My dad used to lie on and fall asleep on the coach in our living room. No matter how we tried to convince him not to do so, it happened almost every night. I remember awakening him past bedtime to send him to his bedroom.  He always told me the couch was more comfortable. I now agree with him. Now, I sleep as much on a couch or chair as in my bed. It really is more suitable for sleep. I suppose their is some physical reason but I think we don't feel as much pressure to fall asleep on the coach than we do in bed. That has something to do with it.

Another old age habit is ritual behavior. These are harmless to us but they annoy the young people watching. My mom used to have certain ways of cooking, decorating, reading etc. They never varied. If, for example, she was going to decorate the house for Halloween, it always was done on the same day, October 1st. As we age we find comfort in the familiar. That's why "old people" have so much old furniture in their houses. They care less about style or fashion and more about the message their familiar furniture sends to them. I am now the same way. My house somewhat resembles a museum.

Yet another old age habit I now have that my parents modeled for me is the never say no mindset when asked by others for help in some matter. I suspect as we are older material things have less value. Thus, we donate more, give more, and extend whatever skills we have for the benefit for others. I remember my father telling me, when asked what gift he wanted for his birthday or some holiday. 'I don't need anything," he would say. Never mind wants. He was passed the want stage, preferring his family have things and he supply them.

Among the other old age habits I now display are the universal ones; sore muscles, ligaments and bones; no interest in TV or in modern music; a declining interest in traveling abroad; ignoring almost all new technology and being puzzled at the attraction it has for others; sitting and thinking often; forgetting and needing to write lists to remind me of what I intend to do; loving nostalgia and boring younger people with stories of it; finding excuses to cook less and clean the house less; wanting more and more to spend the day "doing nothing"; scheduling many more doctor's appointments.

That's a few of the future of being old. But it's not so bad. Not having to work anymore, having no child care responsibilities, being financially secure all help make being an old fart not such a bad thing after all. Now....let's see if I can take a nap on my favorite couch.