Do You Like the Age You are now?

Do I like the age I am now? This is a loaded question! Of course, the age I am now is better than the alternative of not being here at all. Is it my favorite age (or decade)? Absolutely not.

I’m grateful to be any age since I am still alive and reasonably well, but this is not my favorite decade. I’m at the age where I’m considered to get getting old. In America, when you are getting old in other people’s eyes, you suddenly become invisible. You’re not taken seriously anymore. You aren’t considered to be the wise counsel you once were. You are thought to be behind the times. The amazing thing is that none of those factors may apply to you, but ageism in the U.S. is real. Older people seeking employment are not as valuable to most employers as younger people even though we have a lifetime of learning and wisdom.

On a practical level, yes, I have aches and pains and even a full-blown chronic illness. The chronic illness bothers me more than it used to. It is now harder to control and just managing it has become aggravating. At my age, friends and family have started to die off. I had four very close losses in 2023 alone, most younger than I am. Because the world sees older people as invisible, you experience loneliness. Younger people think people my age are out of touch. If only they could know the truth! We are still 35 in our heads. At my age, most of my friends, including myself, are retired or semi-retired. Retirement is not all it is cracked up to be.

Do I like the age I am now? A resounding no, but it’s way better than the alternative.

@rosemary carlson

Thanks to Sunday Poser.