Comments on: Aging http://www.francescaamendolia.com/blog/2007/11/28/aging/ the writing life with extra crunchy bits Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:50:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: RosieRunner http://www.francescaamendolia.com/blog/2007/11/28/aging/comment-page-1/#comment-3211 RosieRunner Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:58:00 +0000 http://www.francescaamendolia.com/blog/?p=575#comment-3211 I found my inner athlete in my 40's. At 47, I find myself doing sprint triathlons, lifting weights, running, swimming, and riding my bike for the sheer joy of it. I'm very careful about my form, and about my rest. But I am, in fact, stronger, more flexible, etc. than I was when I was in my 20s. I'm not faster, though. Actually, I kind of plod. Except on the bike. <br/><br/>At somepoint i just realized that, having had my kids in my mid to late 30s, I needed to do what I could to ensure that I would enjoy as many of their milestones as possible. I can't control fate, herdity, or strange passing diseases. If they slow me down, so be it. I can be relatively fit.<br/><br/>Yes, you'll get lots of it back. Stick with stuff you enjoy, and you'll find you get better than the 20-something you. I found my inner athlete in my 40′s. At 47, I find myself doing sprint triathlons, lifting weights, running, swimming, and riding my bike for the sheer joy of it. I’m very careful about my form, and about my rest. But I am, in fact, stronger, more flexible, etc. than I was when I was in my 20s. I’m not faster, though. Actually, I kind of plod. Except on the bike.

At somepoint i just realized that, having had my kids in my mid to late 30s, I needed to do what I could to ensure that I would enjoy as many of their milestones as possible. I can’t control fate, herdity, or strange passing diseases. If they slow me down, so be it. I can be relatively fit.

Yes, you’ll get lots of it back. Stick with stuff you enjoy, and you’ll find you get better than the 20-something you.

]]> By: Oldsoul_NotQuite http://www.francescaamendolia.com/blog/2007/11/28/aging/comment-page-1/#comment-3210 Oldsoul_NotQuite Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:52:00 +0000 http://www.francescaamendolia.com/blog/?p=575#comment-3210 I think one part of your post, about realizing that you will not achieve some of your earlier dreams is true at all ages. Its poignant in your early 20s and 30s when you see people having achieved these old dreams (millionaire entrepreneur, successful literary novelist, Wimbledon winner) and they are your peers or younger than you. The way I handle it is to think of those dreams as yesterdays and recharge/ refresh for the future. After all, I don't really want to be Wimbledon champion now. It would mean rather fewer martinis and fatty food and less time to lounge and read. I think one part of your post, about realizing that you will not achieve some of your earlier dreams is true at all ages. Its poignant in your early 20s and 30s when you see people having achieved these old dreams (millionaire entrepreneur, successful literary novelist, Wimbledon winner) and they are your peers or younger than you. The way I handle it is to think of those dreams as yesterdays and recharge/ refresh for the future. After all, I don’t really want to be Wimbledon champion now. It would mean rather fewer martinis and fatty food and less time to lounge and read.

]]> By: Mary Joan Koch http://www.francescaamendolia.com/blog/2007/11/28/aging/comment-page-1/#comment-3209 Mary Joan Koch Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:20:00 +0000 http://www.francescaamendolia.com/blog/?p=575#comment-3209 What a thought-provoking post! At 62, I ponder what I should cling to and what I should surrender. The last five years of my mom's life were incredibly difficult for all of us because she would never surrender. After an incredibly active life, at age 79, she developed a progressive neurological disease (like Parkinson's, but much worse) that destroyed her balance. She wouldn't make peace with her losses and use a cane, walker, wheelchair. As a result, she broke more bones than a reckless teenager--pelvis, sternum, arm, rib. She fell down the stairs and landed on her head, suffering a head injury that led to serious cognitive problems. She could never be left alone because she would constantly fall attempting things she could no longer do.<br/><br/>I hope I am more willing to ask for and accept help as I age. What a thought-provoking post! At 62, I ponder what I should cling to and what I should surrender. The last five years of my mom’s life were incredibly difficult for all of us because she would never surrender. After an incredibly active life, at age 79, she developed a progressive neurological disease (like Parkinson’s, but much worse) that destroyed her balance. She wouldn’t make peace with her losses and use a cane, walker, wheelchair. As a result, she broke more bones than a reckless teenager–pelvis, sternum, arm, rib. She fell down the stairs and landed on her head, suffering a head injury that led to serious cognitive problems. She could never be left alone because she would constantly fall attempting things she could no longer do.

I hope I am more willing to ask for and accept help as I age.

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