As a Senior, Are You Relevant, Invisible, or Both?
How well we manage aging is an individual endeavor
Some days, I enjoy hiding behind an invisibility cloak. Nobody sees, hears, or realizes I’m around. On other days, I can’t get away quickly enough to avoid being asked for advice, loaning money, or driving somebody somewhere.
Invisibility is a common scenario among senior citizens. It occurs when one’s opinions no longer matter, one’s presence is not acknowledged, and unless one speaks up loudly, no one hears.
According to sociologists, invisibility is a gateway to loneliness and a source of deep depression. But I am convinced life does not need to happen that way.
Senior invisibility should be a gateway to happiness and solitude while leaving the path open for ongoing creativity. It runs concurrent to retirement. It is a rite of passage and should be appreciated and anticipated instead of letting it get the best of us.
Three things about senior invisibility interest me:
- Our advice is no longer needed. Is this a problem? Our kids and grandkids are adults; let them make their own decisions. My advice is based on seventy years of life experiences, none of which apply to how millennials or Gen Z think. I no longer pass out advice even if asked.
