Thoughts on Growing Old

Those of you who are in your 20s will probably not understand this, but you should read it anyway because time will pass much too quickly and then you, too, will be in your 40s facing mid-life and contemplating life and death in a whole new way. My dad was a reader and a thinker. He had a tough upbringing and made a hell of a good life for himself anyway.

It has been nine years since his death. Mom recently found a little memo book that he wrote in(he always carried one in his shirt pocket and wrote notes and numbers and quotes and partial thoughts). He only wrote on the first few pages and the rest of the memo booklet is blank.

Here is what he wrote on the first page - it seems depressing and negative, and I don't entirely believe in it (yet), but it is becoming more understandable as we age:

Becoming Old Means:

1. Losing interest in life.

2. Accepting the notion that it's too late to change.

3. Believing life doesn't matter anymore.

4. Failing to set goals and commitments.

5. Losing a sense of surprise and giving away to boredom.

He must have felt 20 (like I do now) and wondered how he got to be old so quickly. He must have hurt more and had a body that responded less (like I do now) but had an active mind that wished for youth again.

If none of this makes sense to you now...it will.