I read last week that a survey in UK has reclassified 'middle age' to be starting from 53 years & not from 35 etc. This was an endorsement of what I have always thought, except that I thought middle age starts only when you are ready. Symptoms of middle age are interesting. Your dentist is younger than what she used to be, you cant handle a TV remote without help, you refrain from upgrading your mobile phone because you find it a nuisance to cope with the options, you are aware & guilty about the extra drink that you had, etc.
I am at that stage in life where my mind yearns to be un-middle-aged. I coloured my hair when I attented Sruti's registration wedding. "He was so graceful when he did not do this", Sruti tells David's parents. "A pink shirt?", Neena exclaimed when I wore one for a friends son's reception. "Not another one Sir for you", said my 32 year old factory manager when I was competing with him in a drinking session. "Great job done, but time for you to put your legs up", said an old friend. World around me is in a haste to retire me, blank me out.
I am suddenly conscious that I go for evening walks with people who are retired. That people who not retired dismiss me with a "hi". That when I get stopped for drunken driving, they just wave me away. That when I stand in Q they say "after you". That people greet me with an opening remark, "how is your health".
I sit home as I write this. Monday morning. How many less-than-middle-aged can do this? The middle age has arrived prematurely. When I look at the mirror every morning, I debate with a happy dilema as to what I should select to preserve? My mirror would snarl back," preserve your personality".
"Uncle, I need some money to buy books". Anjali is the daughter of a construction worker. She sat next to me as I drove her to a bookshop. Middle age is that stage in our lives when we are poised to help, with our wisdom & our resources. Thank God that I am middle-aged.
'The joy of gifting' week comes soon. Age is only a number, but middle age is magic. Let us handle it in style & make it count.
I am 56 and proud of it.
Nothing of what you say comes as a surprise- yet, I think it is all in the mind mostly and part of the body :). I come from an organization where for hundreds for years the CO (Commanding Officer) is called the "old man", and once you are a CO at the age of 36 or 38, nothing more need be said about middle age. I was an old man 18 years ago.........
ReplyDeleteFinally, it is about what you take from life and what you give back. I agree, that this the best time in life to give it back, unconditionally, to the margins, and while that is on, continue to do the odd half-marathon, an odd adventure in the mountains and glaciers and a risk here and a risk there. It all adds up.
I look at learning as an indicator of how old one has become. There is so much left in life to learn, about so many things and about people. Left Vicky at the University campus two weeks ago and I was a wee bit jealous- wished I was twenty again, studying maths and physics, competing with him and learning smarter stuff, that period seems to be done and over.
Regards
Madhav Das
Madhu
ReplyDeleteYou said "I look at learning as an indicator of how old one has become........"
I like that. Though I am not entirely sure what that means. I am toying with the idea of joining up for an MA in ELT this October. The reasons are quite middle age related -
My memory is very fast becoming very scary. I am not joking. I am too laidback to be motivated to practice memory enhansors alone.
It will increase my energy levels
Provide an additional maketable skill (The govt wrote in to me saying my retirement age is 67)
I have retired (for the time being (?))
I have entered the snap dragon part of my life - parts of me have snapped and others drag on. I need to tone them up.
That aside, I notice how middle age is on a sliding scale.
When we were in Libya, most of us in the University campus were in our late twenties. There was this guy in his mid thirties who was referred to as' middle aged'. Surprisingly middle age never caught up with us . We were always on the right side of the fence. We walk , talk and think young. My children's friends are not sure how to address us. We do suspect that people have become more deferential to us after we threw a surprise 60th party for my husband.
Am I middle aged or old? My mother firmly puts us all down as old. I do not feel old - Although my body refuses to do what my mind orders......
Regards
Jyoti