A Stern Lecture to My Geriatric Self

Dear Body,

Shame on you! We’ve been together for nearly 75 years. 75 years! And now you’ve become unfaithful—betraying me. At first there were the endless good times running, climbing, dancing, and lifting. My wish was your command: jump, sprint, swim, or backflip (well, maybe not that one). Now if I so much as wish to walk briskly you quietly limp away, very slowly. You have created pain in my knees, hips, shoulders, fingers, and most of the rest of my body for no apparent reason. Did I hurt your feelings? Are you punishing me?

I’m sorry if you think I’ve abused you—but it wasn’t too much or too often, was it? You used to recover quickly, even from those more serious and sometimes questionable-choice injuries. Now you just sit there and groan. You’ve quit trying. You’re not playing by the rules (my rules). Can we talk about it? Let’s go for a walk! No? A glass of wine? Are you listening to me? 

Dear Mind (such as it is),

Remember all those great times as a kid, going to college, raising a family, travel, jobs? Well I don’t. You served me well, so I’m told, for many years. So what happened? I still treat you well and feed you every day—reading books (at least Facebook entries), listening to Public Radio, and then there are those daily sessions with Jeopardy! But you don’t pay much attention any more.

Every day you taunt me by hiding my keys, my phone, and even my half-empty  coffee cup! Not funny! You erase the names of my friends from my memory bank—and probably laugh about it. You won’t even discuss phone numbers and addresses with me. Where the heck have you gone? It feels like I’m losing you. What have you got to say for yourself? Where did I go wrong? How can I win you back?

Love,

Me

 

Bottom Line

If you can’t count on your own body and mind to support you in your old age then there’s no justice in this world. All you can do is keep on keeping on—I actually can’t remember what that means but it sounds good. Does all this sound familiar to you?

axman

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