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When "Old" happens



I am very hopeful that many of you will relate to this post, and that I am not the only person that feels on some days, by 9 am, there is simply no way of rescuing the day. There are a couple of options to consider, going back to bed and resetting or push through the day with the hopes since there is nowhere to go but up, things will turn around.

I am going to start by sharing an example. I have a wired in smoke and carbon monoxide detector. The life span for the detectors is about 10 years. The last time it notified me it was needing to be changed, I simply did it. Off to Canadian Tire, I purchased a new one, switched it out and done. When a detector is done its life span, it will make a repeated ungodly sound, often at an inappropriate time in the day. Last time it was late at night, this time it was 7 pm on a Saturday evening. Trip #1 was to go to Canadian Tire to get a new detector. Trip #2 was to go back to CT a few minutes later to return the first detector and this time to get the correct one. Up the ladder and the detector is installed, but the connections are different. After spending considerable time in a very awkward position, trying to connect the connectors that won't connect because they are different, I decided to abort the plan until morning. At this point, I did what I usually do, and should have done, that is to watch a YouTube video. Well, lo and behold there is an adaptor that connects all of the wiring. At 8 am, Trip #3 to CT was made to purchase a $4 adaptor that was hanging right next to the detectors. In a few seconds the little green light was on. Surprise the story is not over. A few hours after Trip #3 I noticed I had my pants on inside out. There was no resetting this day to get better. In 9 years, I went from zipping up the ladder and replacing a detector, to back and forth to the store, crawling up the ladder repeatedly to get a simple job done. 

I recently picked up a double stroller for my niece. It was a marketplace purchase and so the owner gave me a quick correspondent course on what the stroller was capable of doing. This unit is a step up from the umbrolla I owned over 40 years ago. There were all kinds of attachments even a bassinette. She had things on and off of it, folded down, folded up, hood up, hood down, it just went on and on with possibilities. The seats could recline, you name it, it could do it. I wouldn't have been surprised if it had a GPS and could walk the children all on it's own. Bless her heart for making sure I knew all the features, but to be honest, I was in a daze. For some reason, I thought I should push it. I was unaware during her demonstration she had put the brake on. Now she had to talk me through getting it off. It was a great purchase, and it pushes like a dream. If I was the owner, I would set aside a few hours, set it up and change nothing.  

I have come to realize as I age, decisions don't come easy to me. I ponder more, especially if it means lots of choices. I can put off making decisions or following through on the decisions I have made, with such ease. I have become exactly what, at one point in time, I thought was someone I would never become. 

Something else is why do I ask what people's names are to promptly forget them. After I have asked, "what did you say your name was again", and forgot, I then make up a name. I have to simply stop using people's names when I speak to them. My personal favorite is forgetting the names of the people that I know. I am so hopeful it will magically fly into my head, or someone will come along and call them by name. Focusing on the conversation is impossible as I search through my rolodex of names.   

I now have a pen and paper at every spot that I sit, even in the vehicle. I do amazing work and have tremendous ideas when I don't have a place to write them down. My Bestie says when she has an idea during the night, she opens the drawer to her nightstand. It is a reminder to her that she thought of something during the night and now has to try and remember it. I am so glad it works for her, I can't see it working for me. Everyone has their own memory system, currently mine is paper and a pen everywhere. 

I love the fact that as we age, we can laugh at ourselves. I do believe that age is just a number. If you think you are old, you are. But I can't deny the obvious. There are times when I think, it must be my age, this would never have happened 10 years ago. There are so many wonderful things that do happen with age and that is the wisdom that we have. Wisdom is like knowledge; it is amazing and easy to carry around. Personally, I think wisdom is better than a google search any day. It is the best part when "Old" happens.


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