When I started hiking as a youngster in my forties, my friends and I would frequently see an older woman, probably in her late seventies, walking all over the mountains by herself. She was sort of a local legend. I’ll never forget one morning when she emerged from a dense fog. It was almost supernatural.
The problem is, I think I’ve turned into her! The other morning some “kid” saw me hiking and said, “Wow! You’re still up here. Good for you.”
ELBEE That’s an age crack if I’ve ever heard one.
Maybe I’m more sensitive to it, being a senior, but it seems that lately there’s an obsession with anti-aging. There are magazines, newspapers and tv shows devoted to the topic, not to mention a proliferation of products guaranteed to help. I hate to be a buzz kill. You can drink all the green juice you want but you’re still going to age.
My friends and I spend hours talking about issues like crepey skin but strangely, I never remember my grandmothers giving it much thought. My paternal grandmother’s nickname was appropriately Tiger Lil. The only aging advice she ever gave me was that if I stood up straight with my shoulders back and walked fast, no one would know how old I really was.
ELBEE This from a woman who wore high heels in her eighties!
My mom passed away before my daughters were born, so my maternal grandmother would stay with us to help out after each one arrived. She never complained about her age or said she was tired, even after she’d been up in the middle of the night comforting a crying baby.
Recently, a young man at the gym saw me using fairly heavy weights, and he, my husband Doug and I got into a conversation about what it takes to keep going as you age. I think we’re now his old person role models.
A few things immediately came to mind. You should keep challenging yourself, both mentally and physically, although I don’t think my daughters would feel that this trail was the best choice.
Aside from exercise, you need positive interactions with other people, even if they’re brief. Walking the dogs, always leads to conversation. Last week I was out with Henry when a woman stopped to tell me how much it had meant when Charley and Elbee visited her dying husband thirteen years ago!
If possible, find a passion, something that fulfills you. Volunteering with the Doods does that for me. Actually, I owe them a huge debt of gratitude for helping me with exercising my mind and body, socializing and having a meaningful purpose.
ELBEE It’s fairly obvious. If you want to “anti-age,” get a dog.
