One of the harsh realities of aging is that the body starts stopping. As a whole, as a unit, it just doesn't work as well as it once did.
For some of us this is extremely bad news because our bodies never worked that well to begin with. I remember one of my football coaches observing that what I lacked in physical abilities I made up for in lack of speed. Each year at our first spring baseball practice the coach would time us as we ran around the bases. I was somewhat offended when my turn came and the coach traded in his stopwatch for an hourglass. He thought that was funny.
Aging is a fact of life. Some parts break down and some parts fall off and some parts need to be removed. It is just the way it is. I remember on a hot summer day in Mitchellville, Iowa, following the annual 4th of July parade, standing and watching a 93 year old farmer friend climb down off his huge John Deere® tractor. Thinking back on the moment, I should have timed him. It took him what seemed like forever. I am sure it was at least five minutes. I was not the only one who noticed the time taken to dismount. After his feet were firmly planted on the ground he turned to me and in typical Iowan candor said, "Getting old isn't bad, it is just so damned inconvenient." Now, almost 40 years later, I would reply, "Amen, brother."
It seems that men notice the aging process much earlier, much younger, than women. Men in their 30's are often heard bemoaning the loss of youth while the female closest to them looks on in wonder and disbelief. Perhaps we men notice the slowing and breakdown of our physical abilities because we have spent the early years of life pushing our bodies to the limits and thus notice the early stages of loss. Many of us have pushed ourselves to the edge while playing sports. Some of us have gone to the edge just doing some of the stupid things boys talk other stupid boys into trying. I was still pretty young when I realized that I would never realize my dream of playing professional sports. I am sure everyone around me noticed it much sooner than I did. There is nothing like denial to keep the hopeless hopeful.
Like everyone else I have lost some abilities along the way. I never could see all that well. I have also lost some parts though I will admit I don't really miss my gall bladder or my appendix. Some parts are breaking down. I should be concerned that my pancreas is pooping out, my kidneys are cashing out my arteries are filling up and my mind is getting lost. But I'm not. What bothers me the most is that my little finger on my left hand will no longer straighten out. It is crimped in a permanent curl. One has to look closely to notice. But it is driving me nuts. A friend opined that I shouldn't be concerned because the way it is curled means I can still easily hold a beverage can. (I won't bother revealing which beverage he was referring to.) But I spend a part of almost every day writing and writing calls for typing. It is amazing how much more difficult it is to type with a finger that doesn't work.
Oh, well. As my friend said so many years ago, getting old is inconvenient.
Copyright © 2011, William T. McConnell, All Rights Reserved
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