Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Trying to stop time



All right, Whoa! Somebody stop the clock! I know I've been pushing Spring and Summer to get here, but little did I realize I'm pushing something else.

I have two calendars in my kitchen. They are the dry-erase board kind, and each is a monthly calendar. So one would be the present month with the 2nd being the coming month. As a month ends I erase it and fill it in for the upcoming month. This is April and as I went to erase March I paused before filling in May. In fact I still haven't filled it in. Am I thinking I can stop it from coming? See, my birthday falls in May. Now, I had no problem turning the "Big 40", and 41, 42, 43 and even 44 were no problem. But now 45 is around the corner, which to me, is WAY too close to 50. Why is this one feeling so different for me? I know this sounds ridiculous, but suddenly I'm feeling old. Older than I want to be. I wondered if this was ever going to hit me.

Now I know many of my closest blog friends are a bit older than me, and I am in NO WAY calling you old. (I'm putting my foot in my mouth, aren't I?) But this is something that I'm sure many of you have gone through and I could certainly use some words of wisdom here. Yea, yea, yea....I've heard the one that "age is just a number", I need something a little better than that. This is down right depressing. Ok, so I'm not really depressed, at least not yet, but I'm not putting May up on that board till I hear a good reason to!

17 comments:

Cheryl said...

How 'bout "It's better than the alternative?" I know, I know--it's a cliche, but hey, I tried. Or "40 is the new 30." So it's really like 35? I'm at 41, and I don't like being "in my 40's" much myself. I'll be waiting to see what others have to say.

Susie said...

Now I can speak to this with some conviction. I am 57 and walk 3 miles every day. I've looked after a very active grandchild M-F since he was 2 months old. I don't really think about age! It's just a number. It truly is your mental outlook. Stay active, and keep in touch with all age groups. If you have your health, your faith and a positive outlook you will love being whatever age you are!

Rachel said...

Sigh. I feel your pain. It happens to all of us and we all feel it. My birthday is in May too and I'll be 52 -- OUCH -- but like Cheryl said......

but they do come around fast don't they??

Anonymous said...

You're getting closer to our LORD my Darling! You can be thankful for that.

Libby said...

well, when another friend in england said life begins at 40, i told her only people who had NO life BEFORE 40 said that...(BTW, i'm 41 now...and i MISS my 20's!)

4evergapeach said...

anonymous - Thank you. That's what I needed to hear. Now let me go put May up on my board!

Anonymous said...

I figure no matter what my age (I'm 54.) I can refuse to act my age! Granted, the body doesn't morph into the age I act so I have to be careful where I am when I "don't act my age" but hey, at my age why should I care what most people think of me, right? Hang in there, look for the positives!

Doug Bagley said...

Put on some Jimmy Buffet music and "take a holiday."
All I know is that being single at 47 sucks. I see an attractive young lady and the first thought that comes to my mind is I have socks older than her. Then I wonder if her mom is single, LOL! Relax and just enjoy the ride. You can't stop it, might as well enjoy it.

Unknown said...

Wow.... 45? Huh....

40 wasn't so bad.... 41 hasn't been too terrible......but....I agree with Libby or Cheryl who said they weren't too excited about being 'in their 40s'....but really...think about the 20s? good grief.....its embarrassing to think I was ever that stupid....nah...I'm good with right where I am, I guess.

(Happy Birthday a little bit early)

Renee said...

The closer I get to 40, the more I think it ain't so old!

chesneygirl said...

Aw, Pat...you're making me feel really guilty for my whining about being 30.

Does it help if I tell you, you do not look a day over 35 :)
(and I'm not just saying that to be nice)
Love ya, lady!! :)

clew said...

Just keep thinking that like fine wine, we grow more mellow with age ...

... Or is it, with age, we grow more mellow with wine? ...

In any case, happiness to you, and contentment with your age - er -- number. :)

Anonymous said...

Just focus on making your mid 40s every bit as excellent and rewarding as your early 40s!

Anonymous said...

I was okay with 30, 40 didn't bother me, even 45 was okay....but now that I'm 47 I'm almost 50 and I'm not sure how I feel about that.....I actually don't feel like I'm that old, so maybe age doesn't really matter.....

To answer your question about posting a picture when you post a comment on my blog...when you are a Bravenet blogger you can set it up to have a picture post with your comments to other Bravenet bloggers...I don't know if anyone else can post a picture in a Bravenet blog comment though if you're not a Bravenet member

MissKris said...

Without a doubt, my 40s were my best decade so far. I can't really tell you why. A lot of "liberating" things happened in my life then, I guess. My kids both graduated from high school. I got out and found a job I loved after being a stay-at-home mom for years. I no longer had the 24/7/365 responsibility of being a parent 'coz my kids were finally adults. I had a major "epiphany" time where I truly "found" myself after being lost in the rush of life for many years. I had a huge spiritual "epiphany" too, and finally got "comfortable" in my skin concerning that...that in itself is a book, let me tell ya. Anyway, I think your Anonymous was Elizabeth, maybe not...but like the old hymn says, "Sweeter as the years go by...Richer, fuller, deeper...Jesus'love is sweeter...sweeter as the years go by!" Amen and amen.

MissKris said...

P.S. And the 50s ain't too shabby either! ;-)

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I'm 61 and feel very young...I may not look it, but my mind thinks young. I enjoy more activities now than I did when I was in my 20's or 30's. At 40 I was in the best physical shape I had ever been and felt happy in my own skin. I was relaxed and no longer worried about what other people thought about me...only what I thought about myself. Life gets better as you get older...You only have to live that long to believe it. Every year after 40 is fabulous.