DM over at Heart to Heart and I were emailing one day a week or so ago and he and Mrs DM were talking about how old they felt. He asked me how old I felt since we are both the same age. It got me thinking about it.
We both feel the same way on this. We feel the same as we always felt. I don’t really feel “old.” In my mind, I feel “in there,” like I have always felt. My body is another story but basically, I feel good and I feel like the young Joy I’ve always been.
I have never dreaded “big” birthdays nor did I dread my age creeping up. I know there are a lot of people who stress so out about how old they are getting or the dreaded 30, 40, 50th birthdays coming up and it’s years away and I just feel they are wasting so much time by worrying about that. We can’t stop time obviously but why stress out like that? I just never got that. It’s an old saying but one I find very true and I say it all the time: “It’s better than the alternative.”
I also know people who don’t want “titles” such as Grandma or Grandpa. There are so many different pet names for them. We have Nana or grammy or poppa…. “take your pick.” My mom didn’t want to be called Grandma either because she wanted a “special” name so when Jason was really little, he said Grandma and it came out Fana and to this day, that’s what all the kids call her. She has never been called Grandma. But you know what,?? I have been called many, MANY things over the years and many of which I can’t print but the best thing I’ve ever been called is Grandma. My Grandma was the best person ever born and it’s a privilege for me to be called that. I’m also in no way saying that there’s anything wrong with a pet name so please, if your called something else, I don’t mean that. I know some people might prefer something different but Grandma to me, reminds me of my own Grandma who a day never goes by that I don’t think of her many, many times. I feel closer to her being called “her” name. I know it sounds dumb but I’m doing the writing!
I guess, in a way, I feel as I’ve grown and learned things and YES, gotten older, I deserve this time of my life. I’ve lived and worked and raised my kids and now I can sit back and really enjoy Bailey, Trinity and Christopher. The saying “If I knew how much fun it would be to be a grandparent, I would have done it first” is a very true saying. I have so much fun with them.
How old do you feel and do you dread each birthday?
Us Girls..Our Views 
As long as I am healthy, I feel the same way you do about my age. If I were sick, another story…I am sure! I love my birthdays. Time to celebrate life!
I always like the saying.. you are only as old as the person you are feeling! LOL. Age is really a number. Im happier in my own skin than I have ever been in my entire life. I wish at 23 I had this brain and this attitude. Ah.. youth is wasted on the young.
I don’t know, it depends on which day you ask me.
I get tired because I try to do too many things. This darn job that was supposed to be part-time! It’s all very complicated, but I hardly ever get a chance to recharge, so a lot of the time, I just feel like I’m hanging on rather than enjoying life.
I am still in relatively good health, and during those rare times when I feel “carefree” with my kids or kick some butt on a tough challenge, I feel a lot younger than my chronological age. Then when I get way behind on my sleep or stressed out, I feel much older. Sometimes I just wish I could retire right here and now. Then, would I feel younger or older? I’m not sure.
I hate to say this, but I generally felt a lot younger before I became a mom. I am hoping this is just a temporary state that will pass as my kids get more communicative and self-reliant.
I feel young young young even though I found a new gray hair (I donated it to the waste bin)… I am me and that is all that counts no matter what age I am. Think when you feel old you are regretting not living as much as you could – perhaps it is your heart hinting that you have to chase a few forgotten dreams and live some more.
Who am I to say, I am only 30 and barely lived at all yet but that is my perception for which I hope I offend none.
When I was younger [yes, even younger than my childish 18 years] I used to fear getting older. I guess that at 15 and 16, you feel like there’s no way you can still have fun in life when you’re 40. Which is utterly ridiculous.
Lately, I’ve found that the perfect evening for me is spending time playing Scrabble with my mom, or watching a romantic comedy, or going out to coffee with my boyfriend. I’ve gained such a taste for the cozy comforts of things, and it’s made me realize that tastes change, the things that you find enjoyable change, and they’re not better or worse, just different.
So maybe when I’m forty I’ll enjoy sitting at home with coffee and a book instead of going out clubbing – but there’s nothing wrong with that, and I’ll enjoy it.
Basically, the point I’m trying to make is that I no longer fear age. I just worry about the changes and choices of the present, and how they will affect me in the long term.
Like you, I mostly just feel “in there”. Some days, I feel much older than I am, or younger. But mostly….I just am. I make jokes about birthdays, but they really don’t bother me.
Today, I feel much older than I am! Most of the time I feel younger than I am and really like it that way. I don’t dread my birthday and think it’s fun to celebrate them no matter what your age.
When I was a kid, I was the one who was 5 going on 40. Now that I am nearing 40, I just turned 38, I am acting like a 5 year old!
Right now physically feel as good if not better as I did in my teens.
To me age is just a number and hopefully when it is all said and done I will have lived to be a pretty big one!
I used to dread the number getting bigger. I think I did more growing up in the last year then my entire life. I’m starting to welcome it. I keep saying in my head, “with age comes wisdom.” I don’t however like the physical things that happen to you. I have a new white wiry sucker on top of my head every day! I have wrinkles under my eyes to go with the dark circles, no amount of sleep will get rid of them!
I love my Grandma, she wasn’t as affectionate as I would have liked but she was very kind and soft spoken. She spoiled me like crazy! I do look forward to being called Grandma now. I look forward to growing old with Jason…it’ll be interesting!
I should answer the question! I feel young most days…I surround myself with kids so that helps! I’m in pretty good shape, other than the neck pains from my mom’s horrible driving in OCTOBER!
I don’t care too much about birthdays. Age is just a number. I guess “how old I feel” means “how much longer am I prepared to do this” and sometimes I think I’ll live to 100 and still feel young, other times I get tired thinking of getting through the next 20 years.
Without a doubt…still feel 21 inside now with 29 yrs experience. Remember talking with Lester, an old dude that used to work for my dad in construction. I suppose lester would have been mid 60’s at the time. We were talking about this very topic. He said something that I’ll never forget. He told me he felt like there was still this little kid living inside of him…very cool.
We knew an elderly lady named Blanche- mid 80’s..she dressed and talked like she was 35…sharp as a tack, witty, opinonated, when you were talking with her, you would completely forget you were talking with an 85 yr old woman…like a couple of you said, our attitudes cast such a big shadow over the rest of our lives.
On the other end, we have some neighbors, they’re now in their very early 60’s…you’d swear they were 95 (fearful, always complaining about aches and pains, the weather, you name it..and the thing is, I remember 10 yrs ago and already they had one foot on the grave.
Like Amber, I wish at 23 I had the brain and attitude I have now.
I feel like… like I have a whole bunch left in me. I mean even though I’m 54 I don’t (really) believe that I’m half way there yet.
I’m in very good physical shape and have (for the most part) a good attitude about life.
Birthdays aren’t anything special for me.
I mean, they are in the sense that I celebrate them with friends.
But at the end of the day, its not like you wake up on that day and are a completely different person.
I think people should use that time to reflect on the previous year. Think about the positives and the negatives. Use that to make the following year even better.
A lot like a New Years resolution.
I have always loved my birthday.I love turning each new decade.I look at it as leaving all the bad stuff in that decade,yet holding on to all the good stuff.Eachdecade is turning a new chapter in my life.In 1 year,2months and 3days I will be the big 50.I am xcited for that day.I LOVE MY BIRTHDAYS.As I tell others and as I also feel.The world became a better place on March 23,cause that was the day I came into this world to leave my mark.I am a nana of 2 adorable grandchildren.I also love and admired my grandma,I try to model after her,cause she truly was the worlds best grandma.If i can be half of the grandma that she was,my grandchildren will be blessed.I am a nana,my mom was a nana,she is gone now,and I am just continuing her legacy.My oldest son joe could not say grandma and grandpa,so he said nana and papa and that just stuck with my parents.I am honored to be a nana.I honor and respect whatever you call a grandma,cause at the end of the day,when you hear Nana-love you,thats totally awesome.I am a mom and a nana,I feel 25 in my soul,my body most days-30ish,but on a real long and tiring day i can feel 80ish.Ha ha,that lasts a few seconds.Then i say come on old girl,you can do it and I always do.
I did a lot of self-reflection before turning 40 this year, but I wouldn’t say that I dreaded it. I guess I don’t mind. Sure, part of me misses my 20-something body. I sure don’t miss my 20-something income or uncertainty about life, though.
I’ve watched so many pets age over my lifetime, so I’ve seen what it is to physically age and slow down. But I feel like who I am is something beyond the body I inhabit, and I’m comfortable in my skin. I am me at any age, and I don’t ever want to regret or feel bitter about the passage of time. Time is too precious to waste on regret.
When my first baby was born my dad was like 50 something and he kept insisting (in a pseudo-joking manner) that she call him “Uncle Bob.” Lame.
depends on the day. Sometimes I feel like I’m 18…somedays it’s like put me in a home.
I do dread birthdays but like you said..beats the alternative..that’s my motto too.
these are hard questions this week.
my mom is 84 this year. She still lives on her own..works 3 days a week and runs her neighbor who is younger than her all over town to shop. If I can be that old and still as spry as my mom..I’m all for it. If I’m like all decrepid (I’m not spell checking it’s too early)..you know what I mean then well I’d rather check out early.
We also have a neighbor who is like 90 something. Still lives alone (I’m getting concerned that she shouldn’t be)…still drives (which if I see her take off I pray none of my family is on the road)…but man she’s not going down without a fight. Last year we had some rough times with her. She refuses to spend money on a hearing aid and she’s practically deaf…conversations are hard …and I had to kind of step back and not do so much. My son mows her grass in the summer and he will go over and shovel her a path from her house to her car. If I can be like that again at that age I’ll hang around 🙂