Age Is Just a Number, But I Keep Adding To It

Joe is some years older than I am. He told AA members at a meeting that age was restricting him and made him feel bad. He no longer could run or ride a bike or do other physical things he used to do. Move over, Joe, because I am in the same boat, and I no longer have the strength to row it.

I added a different view of the same complaint. I admitted I feel the same way. I can no longer run marathons. Heck, my arthritic knees prevent me from running any distance. I haven’t ridden a bike in 19 years. I used to lie on the floor on my back under the bathroom sink and replace faucets. I’m not sure if I tried that now I could get up again. But I explained my glass is half full, not half empty.

I shared, “I’m retired, which means I have the time to tend to my yard and garden better than I could when I was working full-time. My landscaping looks pretty good these days. Old age gave me the time and experience to fulfill a life’s dream and write a book, Corking the Bottle, about my recovery from alcoholism. I wouldn’t be here at this noon meeting if I were still working. So the way I see it, getting old is a trade-off. Yes, I can’t do a lot of things I used to do. But now I get to enjoy doing things I couldn’t when I was young.” (See https://www.amazon.com/Corking-Bottle-Day-Day-Guide/dp/B0CD9L6P8Z)

I saw Joe nodding his head as I spoke. I felt like he understood the point I was trying to make.