Getting Old

This entire business of getting old is a pain -- in the neck, back, shoulder, wrist, knee, ass, and assorted other places. Bending over can be an adventure, while at the same time, reaching up can also be painful (that's a new one).

Things that were light become heavy, heavy things become near immovable. It's as if much in the world has changed -- even though it hasn't -- I've changed.

As much as I still love the idea of going fishing - its reality now requires all sorts of planning - I've been so tired the next day that I do almost nothing. Simply put, if I have a busy day planned, I don't go fishing the day before.

All this stuff is just minor complaints - my recently diagnosed diabetes is under control. My gross weight loss has ended. I feel, and even look, better than I did eight months ago.

This brings me to my point ---- old folks and the health care "debate".

When you get old (mature, senior, experienced, etc., etc., etc.) most of the changes you experience are negative. Most of the changes are not good ones. You still think "young". You still remember all the things you once did with ease. You know how to do stuff -- and you can actually still do much of it -- just not as fast, and often not as well.

As you get old, you often (unfairly) lose jobs, find your "nest egg" degraded, realize your plans for retirement have gone up in smoke. This, along with disease, chronic conditions, and various physical problems can make you very wary of "change".

Sometimes the call for "my America" is nothing more than a cry for lost youth. It's a call for a time when your life was still unfolding. As a simple example: During the 50's "old folks" often spoke about the time when the U.S. built "real cars", back in the 30's. Back when they used real steel, bumpers, etc. They pined for those "good old days". Now folks look back at those cars from the 50's and 60's and call them "real cars", "classics" -- the old 57 whatsis that ran forever, was a snap to fix, etc., etc., etc.

By every way of measuring the cars of today are better. They are quicker, handle better, use less gas, and require less maintenance. Gone are the days when you had to let a car "warm up" before you could put it in gear and drive off. No longer does each vehicle have its own starting ritual (pump the gas three times, turn the key, hold the throttle half way down, etc., etc., etc.).

We look back at our youth as someway "better" than the present - simply because we were young, and our future was still an exciting mystery.

Now that much of our future is behind us, we are very wary of change.

As you get old mortality becomes a real issue. You know damn well more than half your life is gone. At times you even wonder if you're worth a damn ----- is it any wonder that the nonsense of "death panels" has gained traction? Some of us either think they might be a good idea, or are avoiding end of life issues like crazy.

It's also quite easy for us "seniors" to become total cynics -- we've seen this play before, and it seems to end up helping everyone but "regular" people. Over my lifetime corporations have gained immense power.

Changes to help all have been characterized as "boondoggles", or called "welfare" -- positive programs have been rolled back simply because some folks have been afraid "the others" might get an advantage, even though it would not have hurt them in any way.

I suggest the Obama administration highlight the POSITIVE aspect of universal health care -- instead of only attempting the counter the lies.

People might just listen then.