Column: Mid-life crisis? Not quite but aging isn't fun
Looking in the mirror, I see only a few hints of the younger face that I once saw. Gray is starting to creep in and the bald spot is growing bigger.
Most of my clothes are getting tight and weight is not as easy to lose. If I eat that extra slice of pizza, I just might suffer half of the night with a case of heartburn. And if I sit too long in one place, I begin to feel pain in my lower back.
Yes, aging is not a whole lot of fun. But even though I see my face and body changing, I still feel like the same person inside. My inner voice pretty much speaks the same language as when I was in my 20s. I still have many of the same thoughts and even blurt out juvenile comments to try to make others laugh.
A couple of weeks ago, I purchased an item that I needed for the office at a local store. While getting out my debit card to pay, the checker asked me if I was a senior. That’s the first time anyone had ever asked me such a question and I was stunned. Did I really look like a senior? I needed to take another look in the mirror.
Of course, my wife told me those checkers are required to ask that question – and I did go in there on their advertised “Senior Day.” I guess she’s right … at the same store, the checkers will ask for my birthday when I purchase a six-pack of beer.
Now I’ve found out that I’m going to be a grandfather. My oldest stepdaughter is going to have a baby and it’s difficult to comprehend. It seemed like only a few years ago that Molly was speaking as the eighth-grade valedictorian at her middle school.
It’s crazy how fast time flies by in life. Now she’s in her 20s and I truly believe that she’s going to find out a lot of great things about herself through the experience of becoming a mother. I guess that’s one of the good things about growing older – you gain a certain insight and see the world in a different light.
There’s a lot out there that I want to accomplish over the “second half” of my life. I’d like to spend more time outdoors in our beautiful surroundings. I want to read more books on the history of North America – I have a particular fascination with early exploration. And I hope to re-connect with friend of the past and relatives that I hardly ever see anymore.
As for a possible mid-life crisis, I’m pretty sure I’m not headed in that direction. I have no plans to dump my wife for a fling with a 20-something … humor me, I’d like to think I could attract a younger woman. And I’m not going to buy a convertible – although a motorcycle might be nice.
(Brad Fuqua is the managing editor of The Western News. He can be reached at thewesternnews@gmail.com )