AS ONE GROWS OLDER THE WEATHER CHANGES

While I do not have a demeanor that you would remotely consider the bragging type, I must confess to you in private that I am a virtual bouquet of knowledge which I would like to share with you.

For instance take myself as an example. The good Lord has allowed me to experience seventy-four B’days. What can we attribute to my reaching the golden age of 74 other than His blessing. Quite simply, I have been able to outrun and dodge all the bullets that have been aimed in my direction.

Some would say that 74 and antiquity have a great deal in common, but I don’t know about that. At that ripe ole age I feel extremely full of vim and vigor. I purposely left the vitality part out, because one never knows the diseases one is subject to.

I am looking forward to my seventy-fifth birthday because you never know what someone might leave under the tree. ( --“No, you are now showing your age, as the tree format is for Christmas!”-- )

With the progression of age there are words that take on a whole new meaning and occupy a special place in your vocabulary. Those words are control, flaccid and longevity. I leave it there without further explanation as this subject matter could easily lead to an embarrassing situation for us both.

As we progress in age we seem to lose something else along the way.

A loss that is not at all that disappointing.

Rather than having a bad day with our complaints filling most it.

We find that maturity brings continual good days and a minimal amount of complaints.

I guess those occasional “blue days” that the younger folks experience, can be attributed to the constant pressure they are forced to live with during their working lives.

There is an inverse proportion here.

In that I love inverse proportions and even more my image, I will state it for you, for I refuse to relinquish to another my advanced technological intellect. “As Age Goes North, - Complaints Go South.”

This is better known as the first law of Cornell.

Also, as we advance in years we are more subject to disease as has been previously mentioned. One of the diseases that can infect our bodies is melancholyitis. This particular disease is generally not serious and can be tied directly to the subject matter above.

However, if the disease racks the body with warnings of severity, the infected may lie on the couch in front of the TV and issue words similar to this, “ I don’t care if there is a spider in the sugar bowl, I am watching American Idol.”

Which reminds me of a saying someone once told me “ Maturity brings with it character and wisdom, but frankly I’d rather have cute buns.” I am under the assumption that that someone was my wife of many years.

In the process of growing older there is a multitude of sitting involved, particularly on the back porch.

And there are many wild birds to watch. We have a bird feeder in the back yard which has become the bird’s favorite hangout. We also have three bird houses.

I was watching the birds feeding one day with a great deal of enjoyment.

This one little bird had a feast at the feeder and after she had finished, flew to each birdhouse and inspected them thoroughly to see if the space requirements met with her approval.

She projected the image of someone inspecting a house before they either rent or purchase it. And their occupancy was free!

Reflecting on life in a rather serious vein. If the subject who is growing older, views life as a repetitive episode then he/she is doomed.

We should view life as an adventure and ask ourselves what can I discover today that is totally new to me?

As a world-renowned philosopher once said “The greatest day of your life is tomorrow.”

Finally, in concluding this piece we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the Tai Chi. For those unsuspecting and unknowledgeable folk, the Tai Chi is an exercise for older people [unless pursued as a martial art]. For those unknowledgeable we share something in common.

I was asked to do the Tia Chi which I thought was a dance.

I was so filled with enthusiasm, looking forward to that dance that my enthusiasm spread to the boards of the house. The whole house began to shake. Yes, that enthusiasm was contagious.

In preparation for our dance I even took a shower and atomized some sweet smelling stuff onto my face.

Perhaps the biggest “let down” of my life was when Webster informed my curiosity that the Tai Chi was an exercise for the older.

O.K. then let us face reality. I will breath deeply and swing my arms “to and fro” with a small amount of trepidation and perform the exercises, but I refuse to wear those silly looking bloomers.

The Tia Chi will be the contributing factor that will greatly increase my longevity similar to the Scarsdale diet.