Do you think your age?

The nice thing about having a shop is that every now and then some one from your past happens in. The scary thing is that when you see someone that you knew when you both were in school and young, it suddenly comes home to you just how old you really are.  There is your actual age and then there is your mental age, or the age that you view yourself.

I've had a problem realizing my actual age.  All of a sudden in my twenties I realized that at 27 I was not 22 any more.  I had stopped at an age I was comfortable with.  Then for a long time I felt 27, sometime later I transitioned into the mid 30's.  This also was a comfortable age to hold on to.   Now I am comfortable remaining middle age, even though I qualify for Social Security.   Maybe this is not really a problem but an asset.  Because if you forget your age and feel another much younger age you tend not to age as fast.  What?  You might say just how does that work?  Well I've noticed that if you think young, you dress young, and  you are more willing to change with the times.  If you think young, life can still be an adventure. Life continues to offer up exciting things to do and to think about.

I am not retired although I am of retirement age.  Friends came into the shop recently, and complained about not having anything to do, and having to watch day time TV.  The problem with retirement is that if you do not have a hobby or volunteer you have nothing to do.

I have accomplished a lot in my life.  I've worked hard.  Although I was divorced, I firmly believe that I have, and will accomplish more in my life because I am on my own.  My friend who came through the shop has never really worked.  She was a wife and a mother, but as an empty Nester she played cards with her friends joined ladies clubs.  She has never changed her hair style since college, and always looks like she just stepped out to go to town.  Even around the country club pool her hair remained in it's sprayed perfection.   Of course I have never visited with her unannounced.  Some how her pretense aged her.  I do not think that she realized that her life could be more productive.  She is happy and content.  She thinks her real age.  Her reality is day time TV.   I just needed more.

Attitude has a lot to do with perception.  I have a lot more to do in this life.