These two 'ole-timers are still living life to the full!
Good Day! Many of you know that we live for most of the year in Cyprus. It’s an island which is just about big enough to live on without feeling too claustrophobic. Cyprus has a lot going for it; some beautiful scenery, good weather, they’re behind with the times and living in the 60’s (which we like!) and income tax on pensions is lower than the UK! NOT that I’m a pensioner but my other half is as he’s over sixty and the tax saving makes a big difference to income.
I can easily say that because of the excellent weather we spend a huge amount of our time outside. We’re fortunate in being active and able. We regularly walk, hash (a bit like hare and hounds with many false trails thrown in), run, belong to various drama groups and generally socialise a lot! Our friends here are mostly like-minded and live life to the full.
I’ve heard the saying; if sixty is the new forty…then we’ve still got a lot of living to do. Recently I’ve taken stock of all out friends around us. Perhaps it’s because we live in a place where the weather is conducive to being active and fine weather always puts me in a good mood as no doubt it does you too. And looking at our friends I came to the conclusion that if we lived in a colder climate then we’d probably not do half as much as we do.
Most people dread getting older – I know I do. But reading up on Google that, ‘sixty is the new forty’ led me to look up and learn that fifty is the new thirty!
Strangely enough, I couldn't find any Google proof that seventy is the new fifty, but maybe now that I’ve mentioned it someone will come up with just such a post. The only drawback to all this is, as I’ve passed my 30’s and 40’s I feel I’ve been cheated out of some of my youthfulness!
In an article on ezine.com, Alison Braidwood suggests that sixty is the New Forty because once the first Baby Boomers start to hit 60; they’re radically reshaping society’s notions of how “older adults” are supposed to act. Instead of sitting at home with a nice cup of cocoa and the cat, they’re travelling, dating, and refusing to relinquish their youth. Today’s older generation enjoys good health and a vitality that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago.
I know there’s a world recession, but some people are still able to plan their retirement at around 64 and many want to begin a new career. Why not? Men and women in their 70’s and 80’s compete in marathons. Seniors teach and take classes, travel, and live fuller lives than ever before. Indeed one statistic states that the average for entering a nursing home is now 81! Compare this to the 1950’s when it was 65. What a difference! But does this improved health and vitality, a more active lifestyle and a reprieve from the nursing home make Sixty-Five the New Forty-Five?
I found a post written by Davis Solie who may have an answer which is closer to the truth. The article on ELDR.com says Sixty is the New Sixty. Good health and an impressive array of lifestyle options, he says, certainly make many of today’s sixty year olds look different compared to their parent’s generation. But appearances can be misleading. In their rush to celebrate biological vibrancy, sixty year olds could miss a crucial piece of information about what occurs developmentally on the journey to seventy.
We may do some of the things we did when we were in our forties, but our sixties are actually different. We may want career changes at 55, but at 65 conventional employment sources are harder to come by. Not everyone wants to engage older workers. We do feel the aging and no amount of nutrition, exercise and plastic surgery can keep us from feeling this.
But there’s a rim of gold on that beckoning cloud. Once you pass from 40 to 50 and upwards, you become more at peace with yourself. I know I feel less inclined to worry about what others think, and I’m more appreciative of what I have. I adore my family; I always have, but before when I took them for granted; now I think a lot more before doing something.
Being at peace with oneself can also mean you have more time to spend on your friends, family and fulfilling a dream. Although the jobs may not be there any more for older people, those who can afford to are channelling their spare time into other pursuits. For me, apart from what I’ve already spoken about, I’m head over heels in love with writing - -and I know a heck of a lot of people who feel the same. So whatever your age, once you give up the permanent employment there’s still a wonderful life out there beckoning you, be it pursuing a dream, helping out with a charity or setting up a small cottage industry to run from home.
Now for fun…some favourite old age jokes…
70-year-old George went for his annual physical. He told the doctor that he felt fine, but often had to go to the bathroom during the night. Then he said, "But you know Doc, I'm blessed. God knows my eyesight is going, so he puts on the light when I pee, and turns it off when I'm done!" A little later in the day, Dr. Smith called George's wife and said, "Your husband's test results were fine, but he said something strange that has been bugging me. He claims that God turns the light on and off for him when uses the bathroom at night."
Thelma exclaimed, "That old fool! He's been peeing in the refrigerator again!"
***
A senior citizen was driving home on the freeway when his mobile rang. Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Tom, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on A3. Please be careful!"
"Hell," said Tom, "It's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!"
***
And finally, how do you know when you're getting older?
Everything hurts and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
Getting lucky means you find your car in the car park.
The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.
Your knees buckle and your belt won't.
Those issues of Reader's Digest just can't come fast enough.
You hear your favourite song on the elevator in the supermarket.
You give up all your bad habits and you still don't feel good.
Dialling long distance wears you out.
You're the one calling the police because those damn kids next door don't know how to turn down the stereo.
You actually want socks for Christmas.
You and your teeth don't sleep together.
After painting the town red, you have to take a long rest before applying a second coat.
The little grey-haired lady/man you help across the street is your wife/husband.
There's nothing left to learn the hard way.
Your little black book contains only names ending in M.D.
Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to read this. And remember - live life to the full!
Faith x
I can easily say that because of the excellent weather we spend a huge amount of our time outside. We’re fortunate in being active and able. We regularly walk, hash (a bit like hare and hounds with many false trails thrown in), run, belong to various drama groups and generally socialise a lot! Our friends here are mostly like-minded and live life to the full.
I’ve heard the saying; if sixty is the new forty…then we’ve still got a lot of living to do. Recently I’ve taken stock of all out friends around us. Perhaps it’s because we live in a place where the weather is conducive to being active and fine weather always puts me in a good mood as no doubt it does you too. And looking at our friends I came to the conclusion that if we lived in a colder climate then we’d probably not do half as much as we do.
Most people dread getting older – I know I do. But reading up on Google that, ‘sixty is the new forty’ led me to look up and learn that fifty is the new thirty!
Strangely enough, I couldn't find any Google proof that seventy is the new fifty, but maybe now that I’ve mentioned it someone will come up with just such a post. The only drawback to all this is, as I’ve passed my 30’s and 40’s I feel I’ve been cheated out of some of my youthfulness!
In an article on ezine.com, Alison Braidwood suggests that sixty is the New Forty because once the first Baby Boomers start to hit 60; they’re radically reshaping society’s notions of how “older adults” are supposed to act. Instead of sitting at home with a nice cup of cocoa and the cat, they’re travelling, dating, and refusing to relinquish their youth. Today’s older generation enjoys good health and a vitality that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago.
I know there’s a world recession, but some people are still able to plan their retirement at around 64 and many want to begin a new career. Why not? Men and women in their 70’s and 80’s compete in marathons. Seniors teach and take classes, travel, and live fuller lives than ever before. Indeed one statistic states that the average for entering a nursing home is now 81! Compare this to the 1950’s when it was 65. What a difference! But does this improved health and vitality, a more active lifestyle and a reprieve from the nursing home make Sixty-Five the New Forty-Five?
I found a post written by Davis Solie who may have an answer which is closer to the truth. The article on ELDR.com says Sixty is the New Sixty. Good health and an impressive array of lifestyle options, he says, certainly make many of today’s sixty year olds look different compared to their parent’s generation. But appearances can be misleading. In their rush to celebrate biological vibrancy, sixty year olds could miss a crucial piece of information about what occurs developmentally on the journey to seventy.
We may do some of the things we did when we were in our forties, but our sixties are actually different. We may want career changes at 55, but at 65 conventional employment sources are harder to come by. Not everyone wants to engage older workers. We do feel the aging and no amount of nutrition, exercise and plastic surgery can keep us from feeling this.
But there’s a rim of gold on that beckoning cloud. Once you pass from 40 to 50 and upwards, you become more at peace with yourself. I know I feel less inclined to worry about what others think, and I’m more appreciative of what I have. I adore my family; I always have, but before when I took them for granted; now I think a lot more before doing something.
Being at peace with oneself can also mean you have more time to spend on your friends, family and fulfilling a dream. Although the jobs may not be there any more for older people, those who can afford to are channelling their spare time into other pursuits. For me, apart from what I’ve already spoken about, I’m head over heels in love with writing - -and I know a heck of a lot of people who feel the same. So whatever your age, once you give up the permanent employment there’s still a wonderful life out there beckoning you, be it pursuing a dream, helping out with a charity or setting up a small cottage industry to run from home.
Now for fun…some favourite old age jokes…
70-year-old George went for his annual physical. He told the doctor that he felt fine, but often had to go to the bathroom during the night. Then he said, "But you know Doc, I'm blessed. God knows my eyesight is going, so he puts on the light when I pee, and turns it off when I'm done!" A little later in the day, Dr. Smith called George's wife and said, "Your husband's test results were fine, but he said something strange that has been bugging me. He claims that God turns the light on and off for him when uses the bathroom at night."
Thelma exclaimed, "That old fool! He's been peeing in the refrigerator again!"
***
A senior citizen was driving home on the freeway when his mobile rang. Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Tom, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on A3. Please be careful!"
"Hell," said Tom, "It's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!"
***
And finally, how do you know when you're getting older?
Everything hurts and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
Getting lucky means you find your car in the car park.
The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.
Your knees buckle and your belt won't.
Those issues of Reader's Digest just can't come fast enough.
You hear your favourite song on the elevator in the supermarket.
You give up all your bad habits and you still don't feel good.
Dialling long distance wears you out.
You're the one calling the police because those damn kids next door don't know how to turn down the stereo.
You actually want socks for Christmas.
You and your teeth don't sleep together.
After painting the town red, you have to take a long rest before applying a second coat.
The little grey-haired lady/man you help across the street is your wife/husband.
There's nothing left to learn the hard way.
Your little black book contains only names ending in M.D.
Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to read this. And remember - live life to the full!
Faith x
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