Page-A-Day Calendar

[talon]

My Page-a-day calendar at work is "Maxine" (usually it's the "Cute Overload" calendar but I couldn't find one this year in the after New Year's sales), and today's "Maxine" is about age having its advantages, but she couldn't remember what they were.

I agree that age has its advantages, except I remember what they are.

Experience. I now have enough experience in enough areas of my life that I automatically can see the Big Picture and know the consequences of many of my acts before I do them. I can therefore pick and choose and work my way through whatever life throws at me.

Social Confidence. I'm not as concerned with what others will think. If I know I won't like the consequences of something, I can resist peer pressure to "do it". Conversely, if I know that I may suffer short term for a better long term outcome, I'm prepared to accept the pain. Also, even if others think I may be insane or stupid for doing something, if it's what I want to do, and I'm willing to deal with and accept the consequences, I'll go for it. I'm pretty sure that was my grandfather's attitude when he started his senior care center when he was 82. And probably his attitude when he chose to do his laundry chores wearing in-line skates when he was 104. He didn't expect to encounter a skateboard on the stairs and die from the fall, but he went with flair, and I know that's the way he wanted it. What others think of me isn't as important as what I think of me.

Skills. I've done so many things so many times I can do them in my sleep. And when I encounter something new, I can apply my skills and experience to the New Thing and confidently forge ahead in doing the New Thing.

Daringness. With experience, social confidence, and skills, I can dare to do things I never would have thought of doing when I was younger. Young, I'd do things because I didn't know better. Old, I do things because I do know better. I hitch-hiked and traveled alone when I was young because I didn't know all the bad things that could happen to a fresh young girl. Now, I travel alone because I do know what could happen and I know how to avert or prevent much of it so I travel much more comfortably. I try new things because I can.

Authority. When I was young and thin, people dismissed me all the time. I was almost invisible. Now, I'm invisible only when I choose to be. With my deliberate physical weight gain and the less obvious but no less tangible weight of age, people pay attention to me and my words. They hear me even when I don't speak. And they believe me when I say something.

Those are very good advantages that really don't come into their own until age is added to them. Younger people may think they have these advantages and may act as if they do, but it's not until they get old that they realize these advantages are so much riper and better and real with age.