This week: You Know You're Getting Old When... Edited by: Kit  
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How have you changed as you've got older?
Getting older is an interesting experience, with some unique ups and downs.
This week's Spiritual Newsletter, then, is all about the process of aging.
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It is my birthday next week. I will be… of a certain age. Quite a ways away from retirement, yet old enough to have some grey in my hair and to wonder why people insist on using such a tiny font.
You know those Internet memes about “you know you’re old when”? I actually identify with some of them. I do like to receive socks for Christmas. I do have to scroll for ages to find my year of birth on online forms. And yes, it is weird that the music I listened to in my youth is now called classic rock. In fact, I’ve reached that stage that teenage me was certain I’d avoid – I haven’t a clue about much of modern music and whenever I see something about celebrities, I fail to recognise the majority of them. Let alone those ‘influencers’. What is that all about?
I’m not completely out of touch, thankfully. I know that Slash just performed at the Oscars. I quite enjoyed Barbie – it was something a little different. I spend more time online than I should, though I avoid most social media other than Reddit. Through Reddit I know enough slang to keep up with younger family members. I’m kind enough to avoid using it myself and trigger excruciating embarrassment in the teenagers I know, but I could, and if they ever tease me too much I’ll get them right back and use all of it incorrectly, on purpose. That’s based, bruh.
One good thing about getting older is that I have stopped caring so much what other people think of me. I wear what I like, enjoy the things that I like. I don’t need anyone else’s approval. I see younger people worry about these things, just like I used to worry, and I’d love to tell them that it doesn’t matter. It honestly doesn’t. Wear what you feel comfortable in. Have your hair the way you want it. Get that Lego, hug those plushies, build that miniature world in your basement. It’s fine. If anyone tries to give you grief about it they’re obviously not your kind of people. You won’t click with everyone, but again, that doesn’t matter! We each have our own crowd.
It is true, though, that when you finally get your head together, your body starts falling apart. Or, it is for me, and for many others I know. Once you hit your forties your life catches up with you and you get aches and pains and may well find yourself meeting that doctor you never got around to seeing in the previous ten years. It amazes me how I used to walk with an open jacket in the middle of winter, not even feeling the cold, and now I’m all about base layers and merino wool socks. Then, when it gets slightly hot I’ll complain about the unbearable heat. The joys of aging, indeed.
Getting older also brings with it a changing relationship with God. I am well aware that I am likely past the halfway point of my time on this planet. It is also a sad fact that these past years I have lost many loved ones, and I feel an increasing dread at the idea of losing any more. It is apparently common for people my age to ponder their mortality – the idea is probably to make peace with it, but I haven’t managed to do that yet. It has led to some different conversations with God, and to exploring the possibly somewhat unusual faith that I have. I can foresee this being a longer-term project. I’ve never managed to settle on a religion, as I do not like the human rules that come with them, but it would be nice to understand better why I believe what I believe, and to maybe find others who feel similar. There is much to be said for sharing thoughts and ideas with a wider community.
On a more cheerful note, I find that I am increasingly valuing new experiences. Combining this with my lack of care what others think of me makes it even better. I just moved to Scotland and I already have a list of some things I want to do. I want to go to the coast and watch the seabirds and perhaps a dolphin or a whale. I want to visit the gem rock museum. I want to feed the wild goats, and there is a place where you can go for walks with alpacas! There’s also an animal sanctuary where you can pet several animals and play with guinea pigs and such and yes, it’s probably more aimed towards kids but I like guinea pigs, too, so you bet I’ll be petting them if they’re willing!
I guess there are pros and cons to every stage of life. It’s important to acknowledge one’s problems, and find solutions where we can, but it’s also important to enjoy what we have and build good memories, both for our own benefit and for our loved ones. We are limited in our time here, and that means that we ought to make the most of it. I hope that whatever path you choose in your life, you’re having a good time traveling down it.
Kit
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Spiritual: March 13, 2024 Issue [#12459]
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