There comes a time when we’re older that we may feel like we’ve put on an invisibility cloak. Some complain about this, but there is a real upside to it. We can do almost anything we want! It’s a bit like being a superhero, without actually having to save anyone. In fact, we might find we even enjoy giving others grief for a change. Hey, don’t judge us with those eyes, we’ve earned it! And you will too one day! But what is it about getting older that we can ALL look forward to? We went on a mission to find the best things about aging, and not giving a damn, and finally being free to be who you want to be are at the top of the list.
Small talk
If you’re not the stop and chat kind of person, (a bit like Larry David), then you will love the excuses you can make now to avoid it altogether. When getting stopped in the street or while shopping, whether it’s by an acquaintance or by a pamphlet person, we once felt pressured to stop, smile, and make small talk. But, when we’re older you can just make up anything to get out of it and they’ll believe you! Just say, ‘oh I must go to my doctor’s appointment’. They wouldn’t stop an older person seeing their healthcare provider, would they!? Or how about ‘my feet are tired, I must get going’. You can walk away and they won’t bother you anymore. It’s magic and it seems to work every time!
The crying baby
Don’t you hate it when you’re on a plane or a train, or some other public transport, and there’s a crying baby? Oh come on, we’re all thinking about it! The crying baby is the worst. He or she might be only one year old, but has the lungs of a cave diver. They can shout, scream, cry and nobody says anything. They have their own little invisibility cloak as well. But, when we’re older we can, and will ask for the baby to be kept quiet. No one will look at you like you have just committed a social faux pas. They’ll know that you’re older and your ears might hurt or you might get a headache. Or, you might offer to hold the child and give the parents a break. If that’s not for you asking someone to switch seats with you so you can catch the cat nap you were looking forward to is no longer a hurdle you won’t cross..
Taking your time
The small things like taking your time in public toilets, or when you’re at the ATM, or when you are parking, are not gifts that normal people have. But when you get older, nobody is going to rush you. Everybody will bite their lip, whistle, look the other way and act like you didn’t just hold up the entire line. It’s fun! It’s your turn to hold up the line, like the many times you provided the same courtesy to others. No one will hurry you out of a restroom, or coffee shop, and no one is going to ask you to move as soon as you’re done. You can take your sweet time crossing the street, trying on clothes in stores, and generally, do things at your own pace without concern.
No more chores
As we get older, it becomes harder and harder to do the chores around the house. But luckily, we can go into a trusted independent living home care plan that does everything for us. We don’t have to lift a finger anymore. Your bed can be made, your room cleaned, your clothes washed and ironed and the windows washed. All the things that we usually sigh before doing, are done for us. Not to mention, the workers in the home, can make us our meals, make our breakfast ready for the morning and generally, just take a load off our mind.
Being a menace
Nobody will bat an eye if you fart in public. They might snigger and you can laugh along with them. No one is going to say you’re horrible, or you should have manners, etc. You’re old, you can do what you want. It’s amazing how much you can get away with because you have a few wrinkles. You can be a menace and no one will stop you. Take more than your fair share of sugar packets at the airport buffet counter, use the phone behind the desk of a hotel, etc!
Getting old isn’t all that bad. Many people can’t wait to break the rules and do the things that we all think about but dare not act upon. Can you think of any others that you will be doing?
