As they say, “time goes faster as you get older”. Here I am already passing another milestone.

I could be sad to be as old as I am, but I could also be happy because life is ongoing. I have a travel friend that often ends up on the same trips with me. She and I were recently on a river cruise. She is 86 and she still was dancing the night away and enjoying every minute of her cruise. She is an inspiration to me. On so many of my trips, I meet people who are older than me and who still have energy to enjoy their travels. I can only hope that I will be the same when I am their ages.

I just read an interesting article titled, “What Age Is Considered Old Nowadays?” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-age-is-considered-old-nowadays/ “Note that by these definitions, “old” in the 1920s — 55 — is now considered “middle aged” today, and “very old” in the 1920s — 65 — is now considered merely “old” today.” “By these measures, women today transition out of middle age around 65, a number that has increased from the late 40s in the 1920s. “Old” for women today is about 73, which increased from the late 50s in the 1920s. And “very old” today is about 80, an increase from about 67 in the 1920s.” From this research I can conclude that I am not yet “very old”-just “old”.

I was thinking about others who are the same age as me, so I made a brief list of celebrities: Rod Stewart, Anne Murray, Helen Mirren, Priscilla Presley, Tom Selleck, Steve Martin , Michael Douglas, Preston Pearson, Micky Dolenz, Eric Clapton, and Peter Townshend. I could go on and on, but if you are interested about others my age or your age, just do a google search. You might be surprised as I was about who is the same age. As far as I know they are all doing well because after all we are only “old”-not “very old”.

My birthday was especially lovely this year. My daughters and grandchildren and a dear friend planned special celebrations for me. I treated myself to a pedicure and manicure appointment. I whisked away the sadness of aging because of the loving kindness of family and friends.

I would like to end with a joke that I saw on several websites with jokes for seniors. Look online and you will find many hilarious jokes that keep us laughing about growing older. Laughter is always good for us.

“A woman on the phone to her friend: “I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape, so I got my doctor’s permission to join a fitness club and start exercising…. I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors. I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But, by the time I got my leotards on, the class was over.”