It Used to be Just Older Folk

As I re-read this post from a few years back, I decided it still applied to today!

A dear friend sent an email in which she mentioned her son having a birthday. She said, “It used to be just older folk who had children that age.” As my son had a birthday this week too, I agree. And then, I started thinking about things that used to be reserved for older folk and now I’m quite well acquainted with them.

At exercise yesterday, someone mentioned a few of the problems she faces with bringing up her two daughters. Among those problems was keeping check on their cell phones. “Bringing up kids nowadays is not the same as when I was a child,” she said. “It’s different from yesterday.” I laughed and said, “It’s really different from the day before yesterday!”

It used to be just older folk who talked about the “good old days” and looked forward to grandchildren’s visits. Older folk puttered in their gardens and sat down to rest after mopping the floor. Well, surely that isn’t me! To touch base with the inner me and push that “older folk” image back into the dark recesses of corners where it belongs, I made an inner check. Yesterday, while the morning was still cool, I pulled grass from a flower garden, mopped the kitchen, and cleaned a bathroom. Then, I went to exercise class.  Older folk? Not me!

And, just as a reward for being so young, I puttered around in the back yard. The bee balm is for more than the bees. It has a soothing effect on anyone, regardless of age. I look forward to today instead of looking back and yearning for yesterday. And, of course, I’ll put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and create a few more imaginary scenes which didn’t exist yesterday.

And then, there are those really neat compensations that once were reserved for older folk but now I enjoy, like having time for that extra cup of coffee, or sleeping a little late just because I want to, or sitting down with a good book in the middle of the day! Used to be just older folk who bragged about their grandchildren or rejoiced in their visits. Now, I find myself doing the same thing. Who would want to return to yesterday when there’s so much going on today? On second thought, there’s really nothing wrong with being counted with the older folk, as long as I’m sure that doesn’t involve being old!