posted February 05, 2010 12:02 PM         

I am to date, 55 years, 3 months, 1 day and 12 hours old to the minute.

Except for being disabled, I am content with being 55 for now.
I feel pretty good about myself since age 43.
I hated tuning 40.
50 was just surreal, but fine.
55 is a cool number!
As to my younger years, except for looking youthful, I was not happy with my pre 40 self.
And....no way would I want to be under 30!
Being disabled since I was 34 (after being super fit and full of energy)ruined my so called "prime of life years".

As to childhood, age 4 was the best!

posted February 05, 2010 12:53 PM         

And I would not trade it for the world, I would never, ever want to go back to my younger years, not even just a few years.

Throughout my life I have always intended to grow old gracefully....

I appear, physically, now, younger than I did when I was in my 20's, many have told me. (tho those do not get so close to see the obvious signs of aging ha!!)

I adore "aging" I figure it is part of the human experience, why not embrace it!

beautiful thread!

t~~~

posted February 05, 2010 01:09 PM         

tho i miss the abounding energy of those earlier years i am actually healthier in many ways than i was then, so i would not want to REALLy go back to 30!! every once in a while i realize that not only older people but the "average" american is on numerous medications as par for the course! which alarms me. i am 60 and completely UNmedicated for 17 years now!! in fact i attribute my smooth health picture to discontinuing antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, since it has been getting better and better ever since i gave them the push.

posted February 05, 2010 01:50 PM         

I am 43.

No way in HELL would I want to be under 30, uggg, the angst!!

Besides, I didn't get hormonally endowed until I was around 38 or so, and it's been alot of fun since then!

Not so much the mood swings, but, you know, the other..

I'm not crazy about the effects of gravity and a wrinkle here and there, but, I'm proud to say that my hair doesn't gray, so I don't have to dye it if I don't want to. Not that anyone HAS to dye their hair, gray can be very flattering on some people.

I take after my Dad's side of the family, who die with their natural hair color, and all their teeth, thank goodness for that.

See, now that I am older, I totally understand God's plan (or whom/whatever) you believe in.
Because if we knew what we know now, and had the bodies that we had then, we would of taken over the world for sure!

posted February 05, 2010 03:27 PM         

yin, i don't BATTLE anything anymore. i opt for more balanced everything and it works for me. i really just stopped interfering with my body and for the most part it responded beautifully.

i do STRETCH - a lifetime of yoga and dance taught me that - and walk in the fresh air whenever possible. my caffeine intake is low (and habitual) did you know coffee counteracts mold?? as is my meat intake! what can i say. i like mineral rich foods i guess! i have several habits that most "health nuts" would consider tragic!! but they work for me. i am happy to see chocolate is beginning to get a GOOD rep after years of defying everyone on that count...i have my dear defiances and we will see in 90 years whether i was right or wrong!!

posted February 05, 2010 04:49 PM         

The only thing I miss from being a child is the endless, endless energy. You know where you could run, do cartwheels, sing, all at the same time and not be the least bit tired--and healing fast was a plus and I think the mind is faster then, too. But I would not take that back if it meant I had to become a disempowered child again.

I hate hearing how the teen years are "the best" and consider it a dangerous lie that can drive many teens to suicide as they think their hell is only going to get worse.

That said, I think when I took off hitchhiking at 16 and what happened to 18 WERE really good, with some very bad points, but as I was on my own then, I considered myself an adult. I defied the system after all (and got away with it) so I get to define myself, and it wasn't like I was getting handouts anymore. Dropping out of school & running away from home is one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. It was well worth the bad that went with that decision.

As for the best year I still consider myself a child...that's a draw between 11 & 14. Some of my best memories are in both years, but there are some pretty bad ones that haunt me to this day, too.

Overall, life has only gotten better every year since leaving home at 16, so I don't get those who worship youth and expect many of them probably don't accept maturity and wish for bodies the same age as their minds. That, or free of obligations if they've piled enough on and feel trapped by it now.

posted February 05, 2010 05:02 PM         

Today I am indifferent - too many pressing responsibilities.

Usually I like being my age. I think I look a little younger, which is always nice. All my adult life I have behaved/acted older (so people think I am older), and I finally feel like I am acting my age - I AM my age, I FEEL like me!!!

I think it can only get better. Lost all of the angst of my 20's, I care less what people think.

Tho have to admit - 41 scares me a bit!!!

posted February 05, 2010 05:15 PM         

And If I could go back to when I was 20, I would in a heartbeat. I made some bad life changing choices back then that I'd do WAY different if I could.

As for now.. the past couple of months the left side of my hair has broken out in grey's...whaddup with that?!? I was looking at the hair color section yesterday at wal mart but decided to let them multiply a little more before I go that route.

posted February 05, 2010 06:04 PM         

i treat wounds with ice - at the time of impact if possible - and then i use rescue cream (dr bach's) but again that is prevention really.

inflammation USUALLY responds to balancing the body's ph. apple cider vinegar is one good way to do that...

posted February 05, 2010 11:56 PM         

But, for me, turning thirty was worse then turning forty by FAR. And my Mom tells me that turning 50 was better for her then turning 40.
I guess it's all in perspective.

What you *seem* to lose, vanity wise, you gain tenfold experience wise, and that is a really nice thing. You become more self assured and comfortable in your own skin.

posted February 06, 2010 03:17 AM         

quote:

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And BIGGEST plus about aging is....You really quit giving a care what other people think, like you do when you are young.
Not saying you become selfish, or careless, just saying that others opinions no longer define you, and that part is grrrrrreat!

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posted February 08, 2010 06:33 AM         

But after this weekend I feel great. Because I went to a party on my own, nobody else wanted to come, so I thought "Sod it", put on my best little black frock and shoes that make me 5'8" and a pair of shocking pink tights.

So I overcame the social phobia, walked to the party on my own in the dark through the woods for 45 minutes. Got there, had a BLAST, had several people say "No f'in WAY!" when they asked me how old I was, had a gorgeous Indian lesbian woman try to make me sit on her lap (if I was a lesbian I'd have gone for it, cos she was gorgeous) and a young man of 23 flirted all night with me in a really nice way non-threatening way, then I walked home at 4am.

posted February 09, 2010 09:53 PM         

I'm not at all happy with the aging process. I don't like the fine wrinkles around my eyes. I don't like the spots starting to appear on my hands, chest and face. I don't like my sore knees.

I'm happier with my life in general now than I was in my 20's. I'm happier with my state of mind more than I was in my 20's.

posted February 10, 2010 03:31 PM         

I do not have a car, house, TV, radio, large collections of anything, partner or kids. Yet I am reasonably content, because I do not have the associated money and stress problems that go with some of the above. In fact, most of my life is spent avoiding stress.

The things I value most are: having a job that funds my hobbies and other endeavours on the side; having my health; having a warm, cosy, peaceful and quiet space (ie room) to come home to; living in a nice area close to greenery and nature, which is nevertheless close to city life; not having to share a bed; having my own space; being able to do exactly as I please; having goals. The only thing I haven't got is recognition for my work endeavours. Everything else (mainly possession-related stuff) doesn't matter.

I seem to have moved out of the phase where relationships were important to me, and into a "work" phase. I can't imagine being 40 or 50. I'm not even sure I'll get there because I get easily overworked and "burned out" - this is why it is more important to me than most to have an incredibly stress-free environment at home. I consciously eliminate anything that can be potentially stressful!!!

A lot of people judge on appearances and it's necessary for them to have the house, the kids and all the rest of it, and I was thinking today, what must I look like to other people, and how could I ever hope to attract a partner, etc. etc., and then the other, truer voice inside me said, well, I don't really WANT a partner and all the other paraphernalia, so why should I give a toss?

Love,

posted February 11, 2010 08:35 PM         

quote:

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I just wish I had my 25 year old body back.

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