As I was growing up, I came across a poem titled "The Panic of Growing Older" by Lenrie Peters.
The title immediately caught my attention.
I was curious about the idea of feeling panicked about ageing and whether adults truly fear getting older.
For teenagers like me, the only thing on our minds was getting older and becoming adults. The concept of being afraid of growing older was something we couldn't understand at the time.
Now that I'm an adult, I've come to understand the realities of ageing and the emotions that come with it. The poem highlights the different stages of life and the fears or moods that accompany each stage.
“At twenty, stilled by the hope of gigantic success, time and exploration".
The poet talks about the feelings of being young and hopeful at twenty.
This suggests the feelings that come with being a youth; young, energetic, adventurous and full of hope.
“At thirty, a sudden throb of pain, laboratory tests have nothing to show".
Then, at thirty, there's a sense of pain and uncertainty about the future. As one progresses into the next stages of life, there are responsibilities and expectations to be met.
A desire ‘To Be’ clashing with survival needs to be met.
Before you know it, you have tiny human beings looking like you, looking up to you; sacrifices to be made, a home to lead and a grave getting closer.
Eventually, the realization sets in that time is passing, and you may not have the strength or energy to achieve everything you once hoped for.
This makes me reminisce on when I was much younger and how quickly I wanted to be where I am today and beyond.
Seeing elderly people who are no longer in control of their lives makes me afraid of how quickly life can pass by.
Once an aged woman was a newborn baby, celebrated her 1st year, tenth year, twentieth as a young lady, thirtieth as wife and mother, fiftieth as a yummy mummy, seventieth as a grandmother, now she is waiting for when her time will be over.
It's a reminder that no one can stay young forever. This fear makes me wonder if I will have regrets about not pursuing my dreams or using my energy wisely when I'm older.
The poem emphasizes that the panic of growing older cannot be explained by science.
It's important to recognize the fleeting nature of life and live each day purposefully, making the most of the present while also planning for the future.
This way, we can leave each stage of life without any regrets.