Life is short and the older we get, the shorter it seems. Except for a few species like the tortoise, humans live much longer than our animal friends. Human lifespan wasn’t always that long as most people expired before the age of 60 well into the 20th century.
Both of my great-grandparents were born in the 1850s. They immigrated to New York from Poland, then part of Russia. They both made it to 95 and were once touted as the longest-married couple in N.Y. With none of the medical advances we have today, that was quite a feat.
But this is the present
The 60s are now the new 40s and our moniker of “Baby Boomers” keeps us young forever. My health has been good so far and I try to exercise, try to eat smart, and have a positive attitude. But, there are a few things I hate about getting old that you may also relate to.
1. Who is that body in the mirror?
I was slim and in shape through my mid-40s. I could eat like a horse and never get fat. I was even 110 lbs nine months after having my 2nd child at 35. As the years progressed and life got stressful the pounds started packing on.
Most of my weight is in my stomach. Menopause hasn’t helped matters. I’ve turned into Jabba the Hutt, in my own mind. At least that’s what I look like in dressing room mirrors at department stores. Why do mirrors at department stores make us look so hideous?
Let’s just say you won’t see me in a bikini anytime soon.
2. The wrinkles of time
It’s inevitable that we get fine lines and creases when we get old so rather than stress out about it, we must embrace our age. Wrinkles come from life experiences, genetics, and sun damage. I’m not a Botox girl and don’t want toxic substances injected into my face. I refuse to look like a pufferfish.
My body looks like the surface of Mars with dark spots, craters, bumps, and red dots. I’m sure a laser treatment would help but that’s not in my budget.
There’s no airbrushing or photoshop in real life. Even the most glamorous older celebrities look funky when they don’t have a diffusion filter.
3. Bearded Lady Syndrome
Chin hairs are my nemesis. We create more testosterone after menopause which causes ugly little hairs to pop out in our mustache area, chin, and neck. Have you ever found a Rapunzel-like hair sticking out of your neck that no one told you about? It happens to me all the time! No matter how many hours I spend plucking those hairs, they keep coming. Some are gray and aren’t as visible, but many are black as soot.
I’ve tried hair removal methods including waxing. It is a waste of money because they grow back a few days later. I tried shaving my face with a device I saw in a commercial, but it caused my chin hairs to grow even more. Forget about hair removal cream because it stinks and who knows what the chemicals do to your face?
Now I spend evenings watching TV and plucking my face.
4. The hair color dilemma
I don’t remember my mother’s natural hair color because it was always dyed. She finally let it go gray much younger than I am now.
Gray hairs appeared when I was in my mid-40s, and I wasn’t happy about it. I loved my dark, almost black hair. I dyed it super black for years but as I grew older that started looking weird. I’m not ready to go gray so I started dying it in a slightly lighter shade. It’s annoying to have to go back to the salon every 2 months to cover it up but I’m hopeless at doing it myself.
I may be ready to get off that hamster wheel when I’m 80, but I’m vain, so who knows?
5. Hypochondria sets in
As we get older, strange things happen to our bodies. Our knees creak, our stomachs get upset, our hearts start racing, and just about everything else. I’ve turned into a major hypochondriac. Each time I get a checkup with my doctor and take tests, they never find anything wrong.
Like most of us who are older, I’ve had friends and family members die from cancer, heart conditions, or other reasons so I panic when I have similar symptoms. Googling only makes it worse.
6. Feeling irrelevant
I like to think of myself as someone who keeps up with the times. How many 60-plus-year-olds are social media influencers, bloggers, and make YouTube videos? Many in my generation are happily retired, but I’m still hustling, getting out in the world, and always open to learning new things.
Still, when I attend business-related press events or conferences, I’m often the oldest person there. I’ve also been a voice actor for over 40 years in Los Angeles but younger people have come into the business and are taking most of the work. It’s the way it’s supposed to be but it still sucks for me.
It’s easy to wonder what you’re doing wrong, how you can fit in, or lose your sense of purpose as a result.
Getting old isn’t really all that bad
There are some advantages of getting old. You become wiser, more eccentric, and don’t care what anyone else thinks because you’ve earned that privilege through the years. There are annoying parts of growing old but it’s all about how you react to it.
What do you hate or love about getting old? Please leave a comment below.
I can relate, my friend! Boy, can I relate!
I like the word ‘hustling’ to describe the blogging and social media engaging. I never thought I’d be doing this in my mid-60’s but here I am and I love it! Hustling is the perfect word.
I’m glad you like it Laurie. I feel I hustle in a good way that keeps me in touch and relevant.