Lessons on Getting Old

I haven't been wearing shorts much this summer because I'm conscious of signs of aging on my legs.  Veins, bald patches, sagging flesh around the knees.  Normal aging.  So I've been hesitant to show them.  (Also, I try to avoid the sun for health reasons.)  But it means I'm often warmer than I need to be.


But I've been noticing other old people and they're going ahead and wearing shorts and t-shirts that show the sagging flesh underneath and I've come to to realize that it doesn't matter.   That's what aging involves.  That's how it looks, and why shouldn't we old people wear what feels comfortable.


I've been a young person and know how critical the young can be of the old.  And I understand it might be uncomfortable for them to look upon old bodies because some part of them knows that that's where they are headed no matter how much they avoid facing it.  


It happens to us all if we're lucky enough to live into old age.

Lessons on Getting Old

It's really important to keep the daily shower thing going.


Many days it would be easy to say that I had a shower yesterday and I haven't done anything to make me sweaty so I can leave it until tomorrow.


But the danger there is that leaving it until tomorrow can lead to leaving it until another tomorrow.


And that's how old men end up smelling.

New Clothes

I've made an effort this spring and summer to buy a few new items of clothing.

But I'm finding that, even though I spend time in the store trying things on and thinking about when I can wear an item and what it will match etc. etc.,  I'm not wearing them.  I don't seem to like them.

Perhaps I just need to make more of an effort to wear them until I get used to them.

One big problem is that I don't really like fashions now.  I've never liked tight form-fitting clothing and of course that is what's being marketed for men now.  Narrow pants, low-rise (which I hate to wear or to look at on others), tight shirts with very short tight sleeves, soft fabrics which show every imperfection in your body.

If I like an item of clothing I tend to wear it until it literally falls apart.  I wear faded and frayed things regularly.

There seems to be so much choice when you look around in a store, but really most of it is just variations on whatever narrow choice of styles some "fashion expert" has decided is "in" this year, and no doubt what will cause many people to buy whole new wardrobes just in order to be in style.

Why am I writing this blog?

I'm wondering, as a longterm minimalist, if one of the reasons people like to go on vacation is simply to get a way from all their stuff and feel free for at least a little while.

I remember a long weekend early one summer, many years ago, when I was a university student and my parents were away for a long weekend and I was staying at their house looking after their pets.


I was starting a summer job on the Tuesday and I was thoroughly enjoying my three days of solitude and peace.  My parents lived in the country and there were no neighbours nearby and no one was running a tractor or cutting wood.  Just the sounds of nature.


On one of those sunny mild afternoons I was sitting on the back deck with the dogs and I experienced such a feeling of contentment and presence.  I just wanted to stay there like that forever.


All through my life I have been most contented when I've been able to be by myself, somewhere peaceful, not trying to do or be anything or get anywhere.  Just being.


Which is one reason I love retirement so much - it gives me many more opportunities for that kind of moment.

Advice I Was Given in the Past #2

Years ago when I was a student one person introduced several of us to the works of Ayn Rand.


Whatever one thinks of her ideas she was an compelling and persuasive writer and all of us were at least intrigued by what she had to say.


One friend said, "That's all very interesting but I can't live that way, that's not the kind of person I want to be."


That was such a moment of clarity, and I thought, "Yes, exactly, you're right."