This weekend, I checked my youngest son into University Halls of Residence for his second year. On the drive, we passed a convertible going slowly. He mused aloud “Why get a convertible sports car and go slow?”. He then looked at the occupants and said “Oh, they are elderly”. I glanced across and they looked to be about my age (am 58 soon). Yikes!
We then had a lively chat starting with “How old do you have to be to be elderly?”, to which the first response was “If you are a grandparent”, to which point I noted to him that his aunt became a grandmother at 52, I am 57, and does he think I am elderly? Happily, he does not (or so he said!).
I then reflected on driving in the Scottish Borders recently as a passenger in my father’s convertible sports car as he blasted it at speed down the country roads. He drove faster than I would be comfortable with, but hey, he used to be a renowned racing driver. Oh, and he is 84.
I saw the grin on his face, and shared with him the phrase “Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional!”, or even “the idea is to die young as old as possible”. Words to live by!
Oh, and as to the mental rather than physical side of things, I love the idea of a beginner’s mind, so do always be curious and full of wonder at this world of ours.