I wrote this for my BLog. I aint getting any younger. When I was a young person, I thought I would never see sixty years old because it was so far ahead into the future. Time seems to stand still when you’re young. I never thought much about getting older. It just crept up on me. I awoke from a dreamlike trance and realized that sixty years passed pretty quickly. As a child I could always find fun things to do to occupy my mind to keep me enjoying being a child. Something as simple as finding a tin can to kick as I walked to town was one thing I did to ease boredom, and frustrations of growing up. What a simple time that was no worries involved no problems, just trying to keep the can out of the ditch and in the road as much as possible. When I turned Sixty I had only one thing on my mind—making it too sixty-two. I exclaimed to all concerned that I would walk off my Job wave bye, and not look back. Now that I am suddenly near retirement and have many miles behind me, I constantly remind myself that ‘I am not getting any younger.' Why can’t congress pass a law that would let folks retire at a younger age, say 52. This would give most folks about 10 years more to enjoy. It seems that a lot of folks never make it to retirement, some pass away long before, sad but a fact of life. As I age I am learning to savor everything I enjoy doing as well as every loved one in my life. I have learn to enjoy every rainbow, every sun set and sun rise. I learned to watch the skies at night for wonders in the cosmos, perhaps discovering a shooting star to make a wish upon. 'I aint getting younger’ is a realization as well as a familiar phrase. Time waits for no one we must all strive to arrive at this golden age intact and hopefully with most of our body parts still working. I have written about aging before in my column and each time I endeavor to write about aging it requires a lot of soul searching in retrospect of my past. Did I accomplish everything I was capable of? Did I do all I wanted too do or visit all the places I wanted too visit? The answer is always; not yet and I tell my self-conscious mind, ‘I aint getting any younger.’ I don't know if that phrase comforts me to the fact that I may never get to visit places I always wanted too and may never get to do a lot of things I always wanted to do or still might get too in time. I just try not to take life or aging for granted. I live one day at a time and make the best effort I can to do the best I can. I can think of some things I think I might enjoy doing at this older age. I would like to go bowling or play a round of golf, or simply watch the sun go down into the ocean’s horizon. All of these things are not something that is not impossible they lie in the arena of just taking the time to do them, maybe one at a time adding joy to life as I age to Sixty and beyond. Life is short, sometimes shorter, but we can have a life to completeness by enjoying all to be enjoyed, observed and accomplished. I think I might take a walk to town visit some friends and maybe find a can to kick along the way. After all I aint getting any younger.

Beats the alternative. For us, (Jim is 73 and I'm 71) life is great..we're healthy..enjoy life. He plays tennis 3 times a week with friends. I'm not athletic..I enjoy cooking, reading, watching some TV shows and of course, Answerbag. So we have an excellent quality of life. Have to watch our finances of course, just like most everyone else..and we don't know what next year will bring. But growing older is great.. we have no complaints!