While I may be growing older on the outside, I am still a fun loving kid on the inside. Is that what it means to be middle-aged? I still see myself as a much younger person than I obviously am. However, there are lots of things at play in my environment that are trying to tell me different.
Our kids are growing up around my wife and me. Our daughter is old enough to be thinking about a boyfriend, and our son is old enough to be graduating from high school in less than two months and joining the Marines. I know they should not be as old as they are, because I remember them when they were little, and sometimes I still see them as such. I suppose that’s just being a parent.
My parents are growing older and slowing down. Mom doesn’t go too many places any more and Dad doesn’t have the energy to work the farm like he used to. They do less work and more relaxing these days. The same applies to my parents as it did to my kids. They may be getting older, but I still see them as much younger. I suppose that’s because my childhood memories of them come from their younger years. A time when Mom would go to town and browse around the stores all afternoon, just for fun, and Dad would cut firewood all day and get up the next morning ready to do it all over again. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. They have earned the time to relax, but it’s just another indication that I am getting older.
I suppose the last thing that seems to be trying to tell me that I am getting older is the ages of my co-workers. I used to always be one of the youngest in the office. Now, even though I am only in my forties, I seem to be among the oldest in my office. I’m even older than my boss, which feels sort of weird. My bosses have always been older than me, up until now. Heck, one of the ladies that I work with is almost young enough that she could be my kid if she were just a couple of years younger. If that’s not enough to kick you in the dentures, I don’t know what will.
Now, I could let all this get me down, but I’m not going to. It’s all a part of maturing and growing older. I enjoy my family at any age. They are wonderful. My co-workers are top notch. I suppose you are only as old as you think you are, young at heart so to speak. I still love to have fun and kid around. I still love doing fun things like playing video games, playing my music loud, and teasing my kids. Yep, I may be growing older on the outside, but I will always feel young on the inside, where it counts.
Posted by Bankerdave 
