What is that saying, “Aging is not for sissies”? Perhaps aging gracefully may be our biggest challenge yet, as well as, a great opportunity to make a difference. While we don’t have a choice about entering this phase in our lives, we can choose how we do it. We can remove the mirrors, deny the truth with any means available (face lifts, hormones…), complain to anyone willing to listen, or we can tap into our sense of humor and help others to embrace this aging process with more ease. I’m discovering that aging is kindest to those with a great sense of humor.
Much as I hate to admit it, my body is changing, deteriorating right before my eyes – that is, when I have my glasses on to see. Speaking of which, my eyes have become much more dependent on higher magnification reading glasses. It’s becoming difficult to find over-the-counter versions – a necessity, since I tend to lose the multiple pairs that I’ve placed in every room of the house. I’ve gotten so forgetful that I’ve now taken to tapping the top of my head first to see if a pair of glasses has made its nesting spot there. And once (OK, more than once), I even found two pairs up there. I’ve taken to laughing about it. (Besides, in my defense, they do feel a lot like the head set that I’m used to wearing.)
I’ve also noticed that aging eyes can play funny tricks. For example, it’s easier to unintentionally shift or drop a letter in a word when reading, which creates a totally different, often humorous, meaning. Last week, for instance, I was in a hardware store and happened to glance at one of their hanging displays: “Casket kits.” Why would anyone want to buy a kit to fix a casket? Are we getting too morbid these days, planning too far ahead? What could possibly need fixing and who would care at that point?
I put on my glasses and took another look. “Gasket kits.” Of course.
A clerk nearby asked, “What are you smiling about?” Oh well, what could I do but share it. We both had a good laugh.
And it’s not just my eyesight. Yesterday, I was at a restaurant with ten family members – a yearly get-together of cousins. I overheard the waitress asking my slightly younger cousin, “Do you want your senior salad now or with your meal?” When the waitress left, I asked my cousin, “You ordered a senior salad?” (wondering why I, who obviously qualified, hadn’t been given the option; perhaps, I thought smugly, the waitress thought that I looked younger).
“No,” my cousin replied. “I ordered a Caesar salad.”
“Oh.”
Another bout of laughter, this time with my cousin sitting nearest me. Later she asked if I would be taking my “senior salad” home with the rest of my unfinished meal.
A couple of months ago, my hairdresser suggested that I let my hair grow longer. “Why not?” he suggested. “It could be your last hurrah!”
My last hurrah? I’m not sure I’ve even had my first one!
Ultimately, I decided to grow my hair longer AND to keep my hair dresser!
But I’ve also chosen to stop taking myself so seriously, enjoy every moment, and to laugh at every opportunity. And believe me there are more and more of those every day!
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