Can You?

 Sometime back in June of 2023, my mother mentioned that she wanted to meet with her sister and cousin during my sister’s wedding in the UK. Mum, “It’s probably the last time we’ll get together as cousins.”

I told my mother to stop being pessimistic. However, I realised that my mother’s cousin had just finished a book on our family history, which described by grandmother and siblings as “the children” and it dawned upon that my mother, like the rest of the “Boomers” is now in her 70s. We are, like it or not, aging even if we don’t like to think about it. I mean, I’m turning 50 this year and I am a dad of 24-year-old. I have people my age telling me “Oh don’t worry, your turn to be a grandparent will come soon,” and I think “WTF, grandparenthood – I still can’t get used to the fact that I took on parenthood.”

Although it shouldn’t be, my 50^th which will b in November is going to be a strange milestone. In many ways, I’m still as unsettled as I was in my 30s but although that fact should be scary, I’m actually feeling excited and you might say its down to the new year, but I am more energised by the fact that a certain part of my life has crumbled. Why would I feel that way about getting old?

Getting old isn’t easy. The body for one, has a way of giving out signs that it’s not going to take certain things that it used to do. Then, there’s are certain fashions that are simply not going to work.

However, the alternative to aging is inevitably worse. I think of the fact that I am freaking about turning 50 but then again, I could be like my army buddy, Ronnie, who was killed in that fatal accident – he is forever 21. So, I’ve had the privilege of living past 30 and I need to figure getting older.

So, how does one deal with getting older? Well, I guess you realise that getting older and dying are two different things. I look at some of the idols of my youth and look how they’ve turned out. Take former Heavyweight champion of the World – Mike Tyson. Back in the 80s and 90s, he was a terror in the ring. Lasting more than a round with him was considered an achievement. It’s been nearly two decades since he ruled the ring but he’s managed to stay in good shape and at the age of 57, he remains the type of guy that most people won’t want to mess with:

https://www.marca.com/en/boxing/2023/10/24/6537fd89268e3e2c7f8b4582.html

 

 Then, if you look at the ladies, there’s Cindy Crawford, who epitomised the age of “Super Models.” Ms. Crawford is 57 and is the mother of two kids. While she’s not as “fresh” as she used to be, she remains stunning:

https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a46187993/cindy-crawford-toned-legs-skating-rink-throwback-instagram-photos/

 

 So, how do Mr. Tyson and Ms. Crawford maintain their shape. Well, you could say that they understand that they are past a certain age but they’ve looked after their bodies. Like it or not, getting older means that the body does have wear and tear. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be in shape.

In my 20’s the only time I looked after my body was during national service and the only time I had to look after it in my 30s was whenever I got called up for reservist and remedial training. Everything else in between was given into drinking and buffets. Then, when I went to work, I ended up with screwed up sleep patterns. Going without sleep was considered a sign of “cool.”

Then, when I hit my forties, health complications came about. Regular gout attacks were the most painful. However, that wasn’t the only thing. My blood sugars and bad cholesterol levels are high. So, after two decades where my main exercise consisted of lifting a beer glass, I’ve suddenly found myself doing things like regular squats and push ups. Developing muscle is not about impressing people but ensuing I don’t end up in hospital for all sorts of ailments.

I’m obviously not going to become a professional athlete in my late forties and early fifties but I can be healthy and fit. Just because I’ve reached a certain age, it doesn’t mean that I still can’t move about (if anything, staying fit becomes more important as you age and need to continue working).

You could say that there’s a trade-off, in as much as your mind should become stronger and you get to focus more. Focus allows you to get through difficult task.

Aging isn’t a walk in the park but we all have to go through it. As such, you have to accept that you are becoming older but instead of being 50 but hopping everyone thinks you’re 20, you become the best type of 50-year-old around. Staying fit and looking after your body will make ageing easier.