Evelyn Dove-Coleman: Aging Ain't Easy
I was walking down the hallway recently with a young lady who appeared to be about 26 or 27. She was kindly helping me to find my way to an appointment with a specialist. As we walked along, she apologized for her gait, explaining that she had recently experienced knee surgery. She played sports in high school and college and her knees were now bothering her as she aged. Aged? Are you kidding? She had not hit 30 yet.
I began to tell her about real-life aging. Wait, I said, until you begin to see lines etched across your forehead. At first you may think a wisp of hair needs to be moved from your face, but it will be wrinkles. People will suggest that you buy expensive creams to smooth them out. But I recommend that you simply call them proof of the wisdom you have gained from your years of living.
Then we talked a bit about the mid-life spread and the older-life sags most people endure. Being an athlete, she chimed in about easy exercises we can do to tighten things up. One suggestion was swimming. Another was riding a stationary bike. The simplest was doing a few thousand fast steps every day. Stepping can be done inside or outside she said. Just map out a safe trail and do it daily.
Just before my new friend had to leave me at my destination, we talked a minute about friendships that fade away with time as we age. When you are young, you are more flexible and forgiving. When older, time is short and so are tolerances. I was reminded of a song my great-nephew learned in kindergarten. It goes "Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and one is gold."
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