Passing Thoughts
The other day while walking home, a twentysomething couple moving in the same direction as me, passed me by in their walk. I was startled momentarily as they came alongside of me, then watched as they continued to walk ahead. It didn’t feel like I was walking extraordinarily slow nor they exceedingly fast.
On most occasions I wouldn’t give the matter a second thought. However, when another birthday looms just days away, much can be made from such a moment. A passing moment of easily being surpassed becomes yet another reminder that I’m getting old.
The reminders are many, more than I care to list. But they are there. While I don’t necessarily feel old per se, apparently I’m aging faster than I walk. I have reached that age where in all probability I’ve surpassed the halfway mark. How strange it is to write that, or to even think such thoughts. Long ago I counted the years ahead of me; how many years until I could drive, drink legally, move from home. Now when I count the years, it’s how long do I have left? That’s the gift of age, and it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
There’s still so very much that I want to do, see, and experience, and all before I lose the ability or the inclination. More than anything else, I want to travel the States once again, this time taking lots of photographs and writing whatever comes to mind. I’d also like to go to Europe and Asia and wherever else the wind blows.
In my youth I traveled the States. I hitchhiked and roughed it at times, and walked lots and lots of miles. When one is young such things are doable. While I’m certainly far from young, I’m at that age where I can still be considered relatively young. The big difference in the two is that I’m wiser and not so naive. Also, my vision is weaker, but I see more clearly. And it may take a little longer for me to move from point A to point B, but at this stage I’m much more interested in the view than in the speed of getting there.
January 12th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
Please post all about your travels. I’d love to read and see photos of your experiences. Your post made me pause to think about aging too–”the gift that keeps on giving,” as you put it. Sometimes I think, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to politely refuse the gift, or maybe even it take it back for an exchange?
January 12th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
Dori, I agree; it would be nice to politely refuse the gift, but age is so insistent in its giving.
January 12th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
The difference, as you stated, is that now as you walk you actually see the things you walk by. Considering the alternative to getting older, I think I won’t complain (well, too loudly, anyway!).
January 13th, 2006 at 2:10 am
I hear you! I’m facing yet another birthday in a few days. 45. Wow. It seems unconceivable that I could be that age. I sure hope I don’t look it
Have a great birthday, Kane and thanks for stopping by my photo home!
January 13th, 2006 at 9:33 am
Thats so true. WHen youre young you often dont notice the things around you because youre always looking to the next thing.
THe cliche has it, youre only as old as you feel and in this day and age I think thats so true!
January 14th, 2006 at 8:23 am
Michelle, exactly! That’s one of the reasons why I want to travel the states again, to see all that I missed before.
Jennifer, wishing you a great birthday as well!
Amanda, only as old as you feel. I agree with that wisdom.
March 14th, 2006 at 9:11 am
Kane, I don’t know how I missed this post, but the 3rd and 4th paragraphs really resonated with me. It’s very strange to think that if I lived as long as my Mom, that’s just 35 years from now. Actually, I don’t much like thinking about it and I think I’ll go back to sticking my head under a rock