Retirement: A Victory That Often Ends In Defeat
As we age, it’s helpful to take a hard look at our parents’ experience of old age
I have always thought of it as just something we say. As a joke.
And — during a significant chunk of life — it probably is. Same for when a relatively “old” person says it to a “young” person.
You’re getting old.
Every year on my birthday, my dad hits me with that or one of his other favorite lines —
You’re catching up to me!
I used to do likewise, often saying “You’re getting old” on his birthday or whenever age came up.
In fact, I think I did it as recently as his 89th birthday.
Last week, my dad turned 90. And I stopped myself from saying anything of the sort. I think. Actually, I can’t quite remember exactly how I referred to his age. Maybe something to the effect of — 90, that’s pretty damn good.
In any event, starting from that last phone call — this last birthday — I’m going to lay off the references to age. Probably because next year, I will turn 50.
It’s weird how switches get flipped in your mind around middle age. Things you never thought twice about — more than just your own mortality —…
