Getting Old And Not Minding It

... from Poem XVI, A.E. Houseman

"Ensanguining the skies
How heavily it dies
Into the west away;
Past touch and sight and sound
Not further to be found,
How hopeless under ground
Falls the remorseful day."



... from Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven,

that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

 

Some things I mind about it and some things I don't. Have just found out that teeth extraction isn't fun at 73, but it had to be done.

 

I have a lot of work to be done at the dentist too. I've just written a short poem about it.

Toothed to toothless.
Tiger to infant.
Fear, befuddlement
and dread befall me.

One of my life strategies is to exaggerate my fears until I can laugh at them. It doesn't always work.

 

Yeah, my latest one was something I would have just as soon skipped. The tooth was dead, recent abscess. I had a local and he said, now you’re going to hear some cracking sounds, that’s normal. He had to load up on the novocaine because one of the roots (molar) had fused with the bone, broke off and he had to drill it out.

 

All I can say is that I've arrived at 84 and with good strong Mind and remember so much of my life, and enjoyed it all. Glad I can walk even though it's with a walker's help.....my 3rd and 4th legs....

 

Joy, that touched me. I think you're great. The way my mind has losing ground, I'm telling people I'm 70 with the body of a 55 year old and the mind of a 100 year old.
I guess that as long as I can remember my name and where I live, the rest is just trivial stuff. I'm thinking of writing a book - Senility Can Be Fun.

 

I don't really mind getting old. I'm not ready to be dead so it is what it is.

 

... from one of the poems I opened this thread with;

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven,
that which we are, we are;

 

Don't ever take a selfie...you won't like what you see.

 

Coma si como sa... whatever will be ,will be - mother use to sing. Like many, growing older has a pip or two, but overall it stinks.
Every morning there is something else to deal with - pop up moles, broader nose, saggy boobs, hanging hammer, achy creaky bones, dimming eyes, hearing losses, weight gain or weight loss, decaying teeth- but with a good walker or cane, compressed socks,glasses,hearing aids, wired bras, several Aleve, bottle of Viagra - you to can through life somewhat comfortably.

 

I am happy to report that I have never taken a selfie in my life and don't plan to. (I don't even like what I see in a mirror; no need to capture that image.)

 

Yeah, but you can still get a discount at most fast food joints!!!!!

 

That is sad to me, you don't like what you see in t he mirror. I wonder who is in the profile photo, nice looking person...

All those who are "slipping" and losing one's mind has got to be awful, those w ho TRY to be caregivers -- what a job.....

If you are really losing it, get on some brain helpers..... I've talked about them here...

 

Thanks; that is me in the picture about 4 years ago. Now I'm more wrinkled, more gray, have one boob (thanks, cancer!) and generally feeling my age. So far I still have my mental faculties, which to me is far more important than looks. There hasn't been any dementia in my family (at least my parents/grandparents or siblings) so hopefully I'll maintain.