The Porcelain Throne

I must admit that there are many advantages being an octogenarian. When one is holding down a full-time job and looking after family duties it is often difficult to find the time to pursue other interests. As an octogenarian, the door is wide open and there is no excuse not to think about life and enjoy, more than ever, every moment of every day.

However, there is a small downside to  pushing the boundaries. I hate all those 'old people' cartoons that find their way into my inbox. Damn it, they are funny in spite of my objections.

As I perch on my porcelain throne each morning after breakfast I tend to review my plans for the day.What firms up my resolution is a very serious test. It will be a successful day when I can rise from the throne without having to lean on the tub rail, pull on a towel rack or press down on my knees! If that exercise bodes well, so does the day.

Like many others in our culture or milieu, I was taught the 'ideals' to live by (The Garden of Eden!) and the reward awaiting me at the other end (Heaven!), provided I practice those flawless rules. I learned on my own that life is dangerous, sometimes confusing, unpredictable at times and even disappointing. But no one taught me about getting old!  It was a phenomenon I observed and ignored.

Most of us are encouraged to prepare financially for our retirement years. Not easy to do with so many part-time and 'sessional' jobs! But I have to ask: Are there preparatory measures one should attempt prior to finding themselves labeled old? If a college or university was to offer GETTING OLD 101 to first-semester students the registration office would not be jammed with applications!

It becomes quite obvious to this octogenarian that getting old is arriving at a place quite different from what it was for my parents. It is not the way I thought it would be. We live in a rapidly changing world and being prepared for the unexpected requires preparation.

                    Google Images

Many of the things we do throughout our life are not recognized as contingencies for old age when in fact they are. We know them in another context. The list is long and includes behaviors such as: working to stay physically and cognitively fit, eating right, enjoying music, and  having a purpose that reaches beyond life's unpleasantries. I once read that good muscle strength in midlife may protect people from old age disability.

The very first sentence in Ferenc Maté's book The World's Best Sailboats reads, "Few things are as exhilarating in life as learning." I might add, it is always good to have an interesting book while occupying the porcelain throne.

And that's Dick's View of the World this Week

Did you Know?
Proctor & Gamble have discovered a new and growing market. 'Babies grow out of diapers, incontinent adults usually don't.' Did I read that somewhere?