Goodbye, Midlife. Hello, Old Age
Sure, I used to have worldly success, endless energy, and a closetful of trendy clothes. But I didn’t have what I have now
I recently surpassed a life milestone: I turned 65. Other than becoming eligible for Medicare and opening a few well-intended “old fart” birthday cards, nothing felt much different than the day before.
But the very next week, everything changed. At a doctor’s appointment, I asked how to take the edge off my persistently achy back. My doctor replied, but I heard nothing after his first six words: “We usually tell our elderly patients…”
What?? It was one of those moments where you turn around to see who’s lurking behind you.
Bedside manner aside, the gist of my doctor’s comment was clear. By turning 65, I had moved beyond the invisible line dividing “midlife” from “elderly.” It didn’t matter that, in my mind’s eye, I was still 45. Numbers don’t lie, and my expiration date was looming.
Following a brief (but impressively melodramatic) pity party, I wiped my tears and recalled some important facts. The American Psychological Association defines midlife as 36 to 64. My midlife — which was characterized by a comfortable home, solid employment, and a beautiful daughter — was also littered…
