They say that the mind is the first thing to go, and I am now beginning to wonder! I just turned sixty in October, but I did not think things like this would happen so fast! “What,” you may ask. We’ll get to that in a bit. There are advantages however to gaining a little maturity. Relationships are often deeper and more meaningful. Grey hair brings on a little more wisdom, and one frequently has a happier perspective on life. Self-esteem goes on the rise, and confidence increases, which lowers stress and adds joy. Watching your children and grandchildren progress through life brings a sense of satisfaction and peace.
But, my recent ordeal with an extension cord added a little question to my mind about aging. My nice heavy-duty cord was beginning to short out on the socket end of the large yellow cable. When plugging tools into it, I would have to bend it a certain way in order to get the tool to work. No problem, I thought, as the cord was still good, I would simply replace the female end and I would be back in business. So, while at the store, I proceeded to purchase my needed item and a few days later, began the task of repair. Setting the new item beside me, I proceeded to cut off the old end and, in a few minutes, happily inspected my cord restoration project.
All looked perfect, but I thought I had better plug something into it for a quick test. Carrying it to the outlet, I reached for the prong end of the cord when to my surprise, I then held two male ends! Not only would that not work, but it could also be extremely dangerous! I had cut off the defective female end, and with no thought at all, replaced it with the new male end that I had inadvertently purchased. I am not sure if this has anything to do with growing older or not, as this is not the first silly thing I have done. Everyone got a good laugh at my blatant faux pas.
While this incident could happen at any age, one can tell they are getting a little older when they make groaning noises every time they sit down or stand up. My grandchildren often remind me of that. As you age, new athletes or store clerks start to look like little children. You wonder if they are even old enough to drive. Then you realize that the year 2000 was over 20 years ago and the oldies stations are playing music from your childhood. You sometimes hurt for no reason at all, strange hair pops up in the most unusual places, and CDs or VHS tapes still seem like normal items. It makes me smile to think of such things and how time marches on.
While this incident could happen at any age, one can tell they are getting a little older when they make groaning noises every time they sit down or stand up. My grandchildren often remind me of that. As you age, new athletes or store clerks start to look like little children. You wonder if they are even old enough to drive. Then you realize that the year 2000 was over 20 years ago and the oldies stations are playing music from your childhood. You sometimes hurt for no reason at all, strange hair pops up in the most unusual places, and CDs or VHS tapes still seem like normal items. It makes me smile to think of such things and how time marches on.
While I hope to keep the mix-ups to a minimum, I am sure they will still come. You meant to zig when you should have zagged. You’re not sure why you walked into the kitchen. You name every grandchild before you get the right name. Faux pas happens. Life is enjoyable and interesting at any age. I look forward to what today might bring! Now what was I writing about?
~Mark
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