On Being 60 ….(LWILT#22)
.…or Last Week I Learnt That #22 – It Will Be fine!
On Thursday 26th January 2012 I will be 60.
I don’t want to be 60! It is the only ‘BIG – 0’ that I’ve had a problem with. I have friends who went through quite major life crises when they reached those other milestones. I was fine with being 30, then 40 and even 50 had no fears. But 60!!
I’ve made myself think about what is different this time. I think it is all the ‘stuff’ that goes with it. Talks of pensions, discounts, bus passes and allowances. It’s having to move to the next age box when filling out a questionnaire. It’s the fear of Stanna Stair Lift adverts coming through the door along with mobility bikes! These things make me feel like I’m moving onto a different planet; being moved away from the rest of the world. I’ve talked to hubby about it (he’s a Spring chicken at 56!) and said I won’t apply for things like a rail card or reduced membership fees for the National Trust. That way I won’t have to acknowledge it!
However, during my party which was a Chinese meal with 15 very good friends(take a look at my cake!), I realized that 60 is now the new 40. They tell me I don’t look like a 60 year old. I certainly don’t feel like I imagined I’d feel when I got here. I suppose I have some family history baggage that gets in the way. Sadly I lost my mum, dad and elder brother when they were 61 so I’m sure somewhere in my psyche there is the fear that I’ve not got long to go.
My other brother is fighting fit at 70 though so I’m concentrating on him and hoping to visit him in New Zealand before too long. In the meantime, I will take advantage of the ‘silver offers’. No doubt I’ve paid for them over the years. I have also issued an invitation for another party in 2022. Pop it in your diary and do come along and join me!!
How do you deal with the passing years? Was there one BIG number that scared you?
It’s not that you don’t look 60 —
You are what the new 60 looks like! And it’s terrific. People just have to catch up with it —
Thank you all for your good wishes and sound advice. You are all right – it’s great to have got here and now I have another adventure to look forward to!!
Happy Birthday! I’ll be turning 60 in April, and I was just thinking a couple of days ago, I didn’t mind the other decade turners. . . but 60? I was even kind of proud when I hit 50 – half a century, lol! . . . but 60? Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to make it, for sure . . . but 60? It just sounds strange.
I left you birthday wishes here earlier, but they seem to have vanished so I’ll try again….Happy Birthday for Thursday!
Ha just think of all the stuff that’s cheaper – hope the inco pants aren’t too necessary!
I’m 55, if I reach sixty I shall be thrilled because it will mean I’ve survived 5 years beyond my cancer diagnosis. I relish every minute, except perhaps this afternoon when a child threw up on my classroom carpet!
Happy birthday.
For some reason, the age of 36 bothered me a lot. Maybe because the sweet bird of youth had flown.
As your brother has perhaps told you, in time you’ll look back on 60 as a time when you were still rather young.
I didn’t care about 30, 40 was hard because I wasn’t at the stage I’d expected to be at 40. In this past decade I’ve bought my own home, become a mother, and am in a better position careerwise. This makes all the difference. I will be 50 in September and I am facing it without regrets in major areas of my life (still can’t play the piano or speak French but that’s not major) so I’m calmer about it.
60 is possibly very similar to 40 was 50 years ago, in terms of health and outlook. In which case I’m really facing the new 30 – Yippee!
Happy “40th” Birthday [early].
I agree with you that it’s not the actual number that is frightening, it’s all the stuff from the outside world that suddenly makes you aware of what might be wrong with you. I’ve found this to be true every time I’ve had one of those “0” birthdays… and sometimes when I’ve had a “5” birthday, too. Luckily I’m good at ignoring the outside world’s opinions, so I survive each onslaught.
I’m hopeless at dates, so the chances of me remembering on Thursday are slight. I’m therefore going to wish you a really happy birthday a few days early 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful birthday and that everything you wish for on the day comes true.
Age is most definitely a number and should never be allowed to limit us!
That said, I found 39 a real issue last year (40 doesn’t seem to have any effect at all). I think a lot of te issue was along the lines of ‘When my mum was my age she’d been married twice and I was already 15 and here I am still single and childless’. It’s difficult not to compare your life stages to others and I know many of my friends envy my career and my freedom.
Perhaps my 39th year was one of realising there are lots of ways to live your life…!
Happy birthday Julia 🙂
I was 60 in July, hence changing the name of my blog from Hurtling towards 60 to Hurtled to 60 and Now Beyond. I was dreading the day and this is the post that I wrote http://wp.me/p1jkAI-DF, There is life beyond and have a great birthday. xxx