There are pluses to getting old. I get social security money every month and I don’t have to do a thing to earn it. Plus I have savings which I did earn, but that was years ago. So now, I just “Spend baby, spend!” OK. Not really. I’m actually very frugal. (should any of my kids be reading this). I live in a house I bought from the mortgage company after I bought it from the owner. So when I need to bail to some kind of old people’s place, I can sell the house and say “Bye! Bye!” to snow-shoveling, grass-cutting, and greedy Trick-or-Treaters.
Against the wishes of my kids, I can spoil the grandkids, endlessly.
I can have the irresponsibilities of a teenager without the grades. As an old person I can drink when I want, ogle my girlfriend, and tell the same stories over and over and over and…
I don’t have to be good at…anything: golf, house cleaning, cooking, buying Christmas and birthday presents, remembering names,… answering the door…
Well, I do have to pay my bills and be nice to my neighbors (hey guys, if you’re reading this, don’t read this).
Old is fun, for sure.
But so is young, because young includes so many choices.
It means I can drive too fast. I can hang out at the local tavern and yell at Eagles and Phillies games. I can teach my kids discipline, integrity, hard work, fortitude, intelligence, etc… or just: “Do as I say and not as I do”.
I can try new things, like writing a local column or serving on my town council and, as long as I have a highly skilled editor and a brilliant town manager, avoid major stumbles.
I can go to every one of my kids games and performances and applaud until my hands hurt. I can, without admitting to a scintilla of bias, defend my kids against every stupid, arrogant teacher who wields grades like a hockey stick, and never, ever admit to liking helicopters.
I can have a career as a producer-director of Live television and not utter a single “Fuck! Wrong camera!”, especially multiple times a show. As a young producer, I can develop an award winning TV show aimed at old people – and not have viewers, including the crew, shake their heads in disbelief.
That’s the dilemma: old is fun, but young is fun, too.
Hmmm…
I think I’ll go with young. Because if something becomes old or boring, the young can always try something new…
…like… Hey! Getting old!
See, if getting old becomes boring or frustrating, I can always go back to being young!
Right?