I'm 80, and love it

No politics today. I turned the real golden age of 80 a few days ago, and I decided to recycle a blog I did a year ago regarding that dreaded term...AGING ! Yeah, you read correctly. That horrible dastardly thing that is hated so much, sometimes even when you consider the alternative. Someone actually told me they fear their appearance as they age more than they fear death. Wow, talk about narcissism. 

Why is there such a strong hatred and disdain for aging? There's certain nothing we can do to stop it. Sunday comes, and when it comes around again you're seven days older. And this goes for everyone, no matter who you are. No one can deny aging.

Sure when I turned 80 I pondered that I'm closer to having my ticket punched by the guy upstairs, but there ain't a darn thing I can do about it. No, I don't want to "go", but when He calls, well you know the rest.

There are those that look at aging as a curse, much like the wicked witch in "Oz", when she kept screaming that she's melting. I'm so grateful for the youths that display respect and kindness when I interact with them. Yet, there are some youths that show a disdain and overt disrespect towards aging citizens.  They mock, ridicule, even find the aging easy pickings to rob and abuse. They easily forget that life is a very fast journey, and someday soon they will be an aging citizen.

Aging should be, and can be a gratifying journey if done right. I'm proud of my 80 years, and despite doing all I can to stay healthy it's easy to see when you spot me that I'm an aging citizen.
I try to eat right, no smoking, an occasional single malt Scotch, mile and a half walk every morning, and about three trips to the gym every week. Guess what? I still couldn't to a thing to stop my seven days of aging since last Sunday.

Of course my biggest downfall is my sweet tooth. Many years ago, after finishing my first 26.2 mile marathon in over four hours, while my friends celebrated with beer and champagne, I went home and ate, by myself, a complete half-gallon of marble fudge ice cream.

No matter how much effort an aging citizen puts in to keep their mind and body active through exercise, reading, golfing, volunteer work, etc., there is no way to stop the aging of the body.
Occasionally I'll get a compliment with someone saying, "gee, you don't look 80". Before the ego gets too inflated my wife always reminds me, "they should see all your wrinkles and sags when you get out of the shower". Point made and taken. She's smarter than me.

Yes, many of us aging citizens have wrinkles, sags, and chicken necks no matter what we do. What is so sad that so many Americans spends Billions of dollars annually on doing every thing they can "to remain young". My personal biggest disdain is for all those that rely on cosmetic surgery "to remain young"., and most of them look worse than before the surgery. The person I know who is practically addicted to Botox actually looks like a chipmunk. It's sad, because they looked so good and healthy without the Botox, but couldn't face the aging process of sags and wrinkles.

I know another person who practically lives on Botox, and their answer is always, "well it makes me feel better about myself". Yet they never seem to have an answer when I reply why  don't they do something for others less fortunate than you, or volunteer at a soup kitchen, hospital, etc. If you do you'll feel much better about yourself than a Botox injection will. I'm discover that, not all, but most cosmetic surgery care more about themselves than others.

I just want to know why do so many people have such disdain for the elderly, while spending Billions of dollars annually to look younger. Yes, a few cosmetic surgeries have helped some, but you can't "recycle" any body to look and remain young. 

It's not sad, sinful, or illegal to grow old showing off your wrinkles and sags. We've earned these "battle scars", and the youth should welcome an opportunity to share our "war" stories with us old timers.

Make aging a beautiful glorious journey, and don't think that getting old means you're getting closer to not being around too much longer. Not a darn thing you can do about that final bell. Spend the money on a trip that may be on your bucket list instead of  Botox injections. Spend more of your aging years with children and grandchildren. The money you save from Botox may afford you to take a grandchild on a vacation with you. Now that's feeling good about yourself.

No Politics with Pete today....God bless  all us aging citizens...God bless the U.S., and our troops.  (Please follow me on my You Tube video blogs, Politics with Pete)