Aging and Life as the Elderly

Aging is something every living thing experiences.  Starting as near to nothing as possible, we begin to develop, grow, adapt, evolve, and mature into something worth while.  We begin with a blank slate, "tabula rasa."  With that blank slate we experience and learn, which slowly molds who we are and how we react.  I want to emphasize that learning is key.  With all the mistakes made in my life, I know that if I don't learn from them, I'll continue to find myself in the same wrecked circumstances as before.

What is old, and how do we know when we're there?  Sometimes we feel old, as in cranky, crotchety, and sore.  But is age only another human made concept of time to bring us down and hold us back?  I've always been told, "you're not old enough to do this," and "you're too old to do that."  Who is to say if I'm mentally and cognitively ready to tackle the task or activity that lies before me?  Certainly there are physical restrictions, that can impede reaching goals we set for ourselves, but I would like to figure that out for myself.  Because society is restrictive to "thinking out of the box" we have scripts we have to follow based on our age and suggested maturity level.  I find this constricting and infuriating.

I like to wonder about what I will be like when I am considered elderly.  My grandfather is 92 years old.  He survived the Great Depression, fighting in WWII, raising 3 children, smoking a pipe half his life, and many bouts of skin cancer.  Aside from what he has overcome, he has accomplished many achievements in his life, that make me respect him more than anyone else.  When I think about being old, I hope I've lived life half as much as he has.  Will I be proud of my life, people I've touched, and things I've experienced?  On my death bed, will I be worried that I didn't get everything done I dreamed of doing, or will I go willingly, welcoming the conclusion of a great life story?  Hunter S. Thompson once said "Buy the ticket, take the ride."  I'm certainly down for the trip, I'd just like to know the price of admission first!