How old am I? / Satchel Paige / How old would I be if I didn't know how old I am? / Turning 90 скачать в хорошем качестве

How old am I? / Satchel Paige / How old would I be if I didn't know how old I am? / Turning 90

As I creep up on the exciting but frightening prospect of my 90th birthday while pondering what else 2025 might bring, a thought about aging occurred to me. Often when I meet someone, they say, “How are you?” or “How are you doing?” If I know them and it wouldn’t seem rude, I sometimes laugh and reply, “hard to tell, I’ve never been this old before.” Seems kind of smart-alecky, but it’s true. As I think about many of my friends in their present circumstances, maybe my answer should be, “I’m terrific. Look at me, standing upright and having a great chat with you.” But when I think back to that human dynamo I was at 80, I have to shake my head and admit, “I’ve been better.” Over time I’ve collected a number of wise thoughts about aging. An optimistic view was expressed by comedian Steven Wright who said, “I intend to live forever; so far, so good.” So far, so good. That’s exactly how I feel. One of the great advantages of being old in addition to discounts, tax breaks and senior centers is that I’ve reached a point where I can get away with saying or doing almost anything and the worst that happens is someone in a condescending voice pats me on the head and soothingly says, “I think Glenn needs a little nap”. I especially enjoy the light-hearted view of aging, but the great thinkers of our time also have a lot to say on this subject. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis “No one is so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” Henry David Thoreau “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw Wise, helpful advice. Mark Twain summed it up nicely by reminding us that “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn't matter.” But my favorite reflection on aging is one attributed to Satchel Paige who was 42 when he made his Cleveland Indians debut in 1948. He was said to have asked the insightful question, “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” Wow! Something to think about. Reminds us that slapping age labels on ourselves has nothing to do with what we actually can do. We can choose to live as though we are 65 even if we’re 80. Looking back on my life, (again, stealing from Steven Wright), I must confess, “I thought growing old would take a little longer.” But the good news is, “today I just set a new personal record for living. Beat yesterday’s record by one day.” Finally, quoting that prolific and versatile writer, “Anonymous”, "Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."