It’s no secret that I am 50, but when did I become old? People used to say to me, “You don’t look your age,” or “I thought you were younger than me.” Now they say,”You look good, for your age.” What does that mean? Does it mean that at my advanced age, I look good? Does it mean, I look better than most 50 year olds?
And, check out that comma after good! It puts the tag on “for your age.” Who wants a tag? It’s like the “but” in an apology. Do men get tags? I hear men say to other men, “You look great!” Not, “Hey man, you look good, for your age.” See what I mean?
I do get this compliment from people my own age, but I seem to get it more from people who are younger than me. Do they think as you get older you can’t just look good? Moreover, what happens when people stop saying I look good for my age. What are they going to say … “Wow, you look your age.” Or, “You don’t look bad for your age.” What’s next??
So, I ask again, when did I get older? I know that I have a few gray hairs on my head (the ones I can’t reach with my tweezers). I do see a few crows feet and maybe my skin is a bit more saggy (I pawn it off to my lighter frame rather than my age!). Yet, the most telling sign (and maybe the most frightening) was when I saw a few “wrinkles” on my knees! Where did they come from? Why didn’t anyone tell me that was going to happen? Who is writing this book anyway?
I guess I will have to settle for the comma and the tag for now. But, whether I am fooling myself or not, when I looked in the mirror this morning, I was sure I saw a 45 year-old woman! Life moves forward despite ourselves. Let’s enjoy the ride!
Have a great start to your weekend!
theyearof50 