There’s a ‘comedy‘ line my Grandfather used to chuckle to himself about – “You’re only as old as the woman you feel.” Which is a cliché from a geenration gone by now, but one which I was thinking about yesterday. Let me explain why…
Whilst out picking up my newspaper from the local newsagents a couple of streets from where I live, in shorts and flip-flops, such is the weather here at the moment on the Costa Del Bournemouth, a young lady smiled at me as she walked into the shop at the same time.
While I looked at the newspapers and chose mine, she went out of her way to get eye contact and smile at me some more while she chose a magazine. I almost went more red-faced than I was already as a result of the sunshine! Is this very attractive, young lady flirting with me? I am much older than her, have my wedding ring on full display and am wearing a T-Shirt that says “Respect” (With the words ‘your Mum’ underneath)…
I smiled politely, warmly and said ‘good morning’ as I do with all folk who smile – though ususally, they are dog-walkers or old age pensioners and not stunning young females… Then I chose to grab my paper and go and pay for it, feeling very good about myself: “Oh yeah, I’ve still got it…” Rattling in mind as I smugly and blindly strolled towards the door…
The young lady, leaned over the shelves, smiled at me and started up a conversation… “You gave a talk at my college a couple of years ago, didn’t you?” Oh… She just remembered me from that… hahahaha…. A rude awakening! It made me realise a number of things and get introspective on my meander back home.
These kinds of age reminders happen to us all from time to time. It could be as simple as the appearance of a single grey hair, though I have more than one sneaking it’s way into mine… Or maybe the first time you are addressed as ‘sir’ by the shop assistant or waiting staff… Or perhaps the age-old classic of walking into a room and forgetting why you went there.
Much of our media and consumerism is centred around a desire to be younger looking… And though many of us try, none of us can stop time. However, we can slow down the aging effects – and sometimes even reverse them with enough facelifts and botox injections… Just kidding… 😉
It is funny to think that just 150 years ago, people were lucky to live beyond the age of 40. Today, modern medicine, diets, mindsets and science helps us remain alive well into our nineties and beyond, and most people say they want to live as long as possible.
Though who really wants to live to be 100 without their health, vitality, and faculties intact? And frankly, who wants to look 90, when you can be taken for a mere 78 year old? That’s where lifestyle choices come in. You see it very overtly on the TV show “10 years Younger” don’t you? People who have made choices about diet, habits, leisure pursuits, clothing and so on, that make them appear and seem much older than they actually are.
The key to healthy longevity, according to UCLA aging specialist Dr. Gary Small, is to keep it all together – our brains, our bodies, and our attitudes.
For our brains, he suggests keeping them young and agile with puzzles and other challenges such as learning a foreign language or taking up a new hobby like painting. Heck, just stretching the brain in any way is a good thing…. For our bodies, it’s that familar ‘use it or lose it’ theory – a 10 to 20 minute walk each day (or at least getting your heart rate above resting pace) is enough to keep the cardiovascular system in shape, though of course, more than that is better. And attitude, well, it’s like the old Jefferson Airplane lyric, “You’re only pretty as you feel” and NOT “you’re only as young as the woman you feel” as my Grandfather would joke…
All the people that are thriving in their latter years that I encounter are those using their brains regularly and those that have an opinion or two on life… Like my active elderly neighbours who I discuss politics with every time we are out gardening at the same time.
