Getting Old Ain’t for Sissies

“Getting old ain’t for sissies”. How many times have we heard that
phrase? Of course we always thought it applied to someone else – not us.
When did we cross that age barrier into Senior Citizen? Just yesterday we
were young, strong, agile and able to leap tall buildings. Our bodies were
still trim and our minds steel sharp. Old age was somewhere in the far
distant future.

OH NO! It’s here and it snuck up on little cat feet. It started with
small memory glitches but you didn’t pay much attention because all your
friends were experiencing the same things. What was I going to do? How
did the car keys get in the refrigerator? Is the grocery list still on the table
by your chair when you are at the store? When did you need to start making
lists anyway?

Then came the physical or lack thereof. Achy joints that take a bit
longer to get moving. Balance not what it was. Shorter walks because well
the dog was tired. Knee replacements. Hip replacements. New glasses
because they are making road signs smaller and why are people whispering?
My hearing is just fine. OOPs, I laugherd and peed a little or sometimes a
lot. Depends aren’t funny anymore when it is you.

You get a new dog and it is like having an over energenic toddler.
How do grandparents end up raising their grandkids? The dog needs
feeding, taking outside and LOTS of attention. You want to sit quietly,
playing games on your tablet (they say it is good for your mind) but the dog
wants your attention and tries to work your tablet. How many times can a
ball roll under furniture? The dog demands you get out of your chair, on
hands and knees to rescue it. Note that he doesn’t help you get back up. Did
you just see that dog laughing? Maybe he is an evil conspititor aiming to
keep you moving. You are sure your doctor is in cahoots with the dog to see
your cardio health is taken care of.

Yep! Getting old ain’t for sissies. The positive is that with age comes
wisdom – if you can only remember what it is. Now where is that dog? Did
you leave him outside? Maybe he’s in the refrigerator!

Ruby Bonham
10-25-2023