Are you radically different than your younger self? Are there key elements that have stayed the same? Most parts? Do you feel as if you’ve followed the “roadmap of life” or forged your own path? Have there been “chapters” or do things all sort of slide into one contiguous flow? Share what you’d like!
About to turn 58 here. Can’t complain. I’ve led a pretty productive life, always stayed busy. No children, always taking on a new hobby. Backpacked frequently, kayaked, fished, always tried to learn something new. Kept a garden, built a garage bigger than my house, put up fences, remodeled my house plus a rental property. Doctor’s assistants would tell me I had the heart rate of a professional athlete or something like that. However a few years ago I slowed down dramatically. Gained 30 pounds. Back hurts more often, sore muscles don’t heal as fast. Use it or lose it as they say. I still have most of my teeth and all of my thick luscious hair so there’s that haha. Yes I do view my life in chapters. I’ve stayed the same person but have grown less optimistic
Someone said something that really struck me. I just wish I could remember who, they are (or were? I imagine they’re still alive but who knows - sometimes this stuff all blends together) a queer photographer who recorded the sexual activities of same-sex couples and self. Either way, she said something on aging like “I always thought I was young, until I went to the doctors and suddenly I walk out and I’m old.” And you could really feel the frustration and pain in her words. It made me sad, because sudden health issues can really take you down a peg or three. And you don’t usually know about them until you’re on the ground. But I will say my mom’s partner is about same boat (but older) and he kept about the same thing going on. And while he can’t do things as actively as he used to - he still stays fit using a rowing machine and he still keeps-a-going. So I know (from what I’m reading here) you’ll figure out a way to get what you need.
But not only that, and I always joke about this - but you’ll want that little bit of fat on you for when you get older cause I swear to god you get hit with some sickness and if you’re too skinny it just wipes you from the Earth. At least as I seen it when I worked in a home =P!
Okay, that’s it, you dun-did good and may you keep doing well =)!