I'm quite philosophical about age: I'm currently 64, which must at one point have seemed very old to Messrs Lennon and McCartney, but I'm struggling to feel more than middle aged (apart from my rather creaky knees).
Anyway, there's bugger all I can do about it, so why would I hide it - or worse, lie about it?
I have found turning fifty somewhat difficult, but I think it’s the combination of perimenopause and elderly parents rather than the number itself.
There are some comedic/musical videos by The Holderness Family on perimenopause you might like on YouTube! I think Shirley Serban has done a bunch there as well.
If it's any consolation @Doublethink, my fifties and early sixties were far worse than now in my seventies. The menopause is way behind me and I have no parents or in-laws to be concerned about.
That said, I was in my 20s when I joined and in my late 30s now, and I feel about 12 most days.
I thought I was the youngest shipmate, being in my early 40s. I sometimes am in denial about being over 25, but when I have to get up after bending down, I feel well over 50.
If it's any consolation @Doublethink, my fifties and early sixties were far worse than now in my seventies. The menopause is way behind me and I have no parents or in-laws to be concerned about.
Lucky duck!!
I'm 72 and have had three or four hot flashes this week.
However...I'm still here! !
Also, I love you all so much! It warms my heart to see Shipmates from The Old Days™ here!
Chronologically, I will be 59 on August 25. Mentally I still feel like my own teen/20-something self (or even younger), on lots of levels. The last 20 or more years in particular feel like yesterday. "59" just sounds much older than "58" does to me, for some reason.
As it happens, I had almost exactly this conversation with a colleague yesterday. I think people tend to latch at some internal age that they think they "really" are. Certainly we agreed that we each had a point in adulthood that we latched on to as representing our "real selves", and were occasionally surprised when the flesh could no longer keep up with our mental picture of what our capabilities should be.
Ahhhh - that's useful. Reading here, I was wondering why my being 55 feels (quite suddenly, if I'm honest) 'old', whereas being 50,51,52... didn't. I could believe that in my head I have been slightly over 50 for a long, long time. But not this far over :-)
It occurs to me that part of the reason I don't feel really old is that I have a brother and sister who are respectively eight and six years older than me, and however old I get, I'll always be their wee sister! 🙂
@Piglet I’m similar, or at any rate I was until very recently. My brothers were 15 and 18 years older than me, although they were from my mother’s first marriage to man who died in WW2. Alas they both died quite recently, so I feel my age a bit more.
Mrs Sioni is also considerably younger than her sisters, who are 11, 13 and 14 years older, and still doing well.
My twin and I have 6 older siblings, up to 12 years older than us. Consequently, I have always been treated as the baby of the family and my eldest sister refers to me as ‘that child’. I am 57.
My husband is 20 years older than I, and in Vietnamese custom I share his status--which affects things like the pronoun they use for me, where i sit, and so on. As a result of this, it was very weird to instantly become "Grandma" at age 22!
At coffee at church yesterday I realised that I was the youngest at our table of six by quite a bit! I was at the same table as the oldest active member of our congregation, who is 40 years my senior. (I'm 62!). Also at our table J (80) was complaining that her husband A (83) is redecorating a room in their house and taking far too long to do it; she has put in a prayer request that he gets his arse into gear this week. I really hope that 20 years from now that the NE Man and I will still be as active.
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Anyway, there's bugger all I can do about it, so why would I hide it - or worse, lie about it?
There are some comedic/musical videos by The Holderness Family on perimenopause you might like on YouTube! I think Shirley Serban has done a bunch there as well.
Kim Holderness video on perimenopause:
https://youtu.be/wNOL6GbOA9M?is=SNe3hocnuTC8onch
Shirley Serban, to the tune of Britney Spears:
https://youtu.be/8D4CP2RcltY?is=V_69LF4bTvELQtia
Shirley also has one for men:
https://youtu.be/LJTpkos11JY?is=MffvpfhDksb3FX6b
But it’s not all bad, she reminds us:
https://youtu.be/JV_PZClndvo?is=2a_uD_MZ09XKknJU
I have friends with a very wide age range, which helps with perspective.
I thought I was the youngest shipmate, being in my early 40s. I sometimes am in denial about being over 25, but when I have to get up after bending down, I feel well over 50.
Lucky duck!!
I'm 72 and have had three or four hot flashes this week.
However...I'm still here!
Also, I love you all so much! It warms my heart to see Shipmates from The Old Days™ here!
edit out extra space
Ahhhh - that's useful. Reading here, I was wondering why my being 55 feels (quite suddenly, if I'm honest) 'old', whereas being 50,51,52... didn't. I could believe that in my head I have been slightly over 50 for a long, long time. But not this far over :-)
Mrs Sioni is also considerably younger than her sisters, who are 11, 13 and 14 years older, and still doing well.
Reciprocal thanks for stuff you said when more active
👍👍