29 May 2021

I’ve got this policy that I adhere to, regarding my age. I’m not old – I’m just not that young.

There are things in my life that make me feel old, on occasion. Like when you see a policeman, who looks to you as if he has just left primary school, remembering that it’s almost 41 years since I left high school, working out that someone born in the year 2000 is turning 21 this year. Then there’s the noises you make when standing up from the couch.

And then there’s the things that remind me that there’s life in the old dog yet. Learning new skills, for instance. And…..Umm….. Nope that’s about it.

There are many benefits that come with being my age. For instance….

Grey hair – it’s common knowledge that men with grey hair are told they look distinguished, while women with grey hair are assumed to no longer care what they look like. It’s true. I don’t care that I have grey hair. When I first stopped dyeing it eight or nine years ago, it became a fairly pleasing salt and pepper colour. It is now verging towards the white end of the spectrum. But, when faced with the option of constant expensive and lengthy hair dresser visits and being concerned about needing to hide my natural hair colour???? Nope – I’m good.

Resting in rocking chair – if you spend an hour sitting in a recliner rocker in the sunshine while you’re in your thirties, people will either assume you are lazy or unemployed. If you’re in your fifties, people will assume you’re knackered after looking after your grandchildren….or have worn out knees or hips…. or just old.

Spoiling grandchildren – I hadn’t realised this bonus of being old. But suddenly with the onset of grandchildren, shopping takes on a whole new enjoyment! Shopping trips involving frivolous purchases for myself would require justification to the financial director of the house, but if it’s yet another toy purchased for the grandchildren – not so much! Bonus!

Putting the heater on – I vividly remember when my kids (and I) were younger, complaints about being cold were met with the firm response of “put some more clothes on”. Now that I’m ‘not old but no longer young’ (NOBNLY), if I get cold and want to put the heater on – I’m gonna put the heater on! This corresponds to summertime when cooling options of overhead fans or air conditioners may be utilised for the comfort of the NOBNLY person

Comfort is far more important than fashion – to be fair, this has been my policy throughout my lengthy time on this planet. But I can now let people assume it’s a fairly recent phenomenon that is age related.

Other things going for us NOBNLY’s:

We know what our strengths and weaknesses are, and we know that life is about experiences, not stuff.

And the experience of sitting our grey haired body in the rocking chair in the sunshine watching a grandchild play with the new ambulance toy you’ve just bought him?

Priceless.