Wednesday, July 15, 2015

What is OLD?



Recently, I had a little fun on FACEBOOK.  I had met one of my favorite singers, Paul Thorn, and during the short time we were together he said that I looked like Ed Asner. He is just one of the latest in a long, long line of people that tell me that. It happens all the time. My first thoughts about this was, He is much older than I. I checked. He is like 86 years old! He is close to my mother's age!
Then I occurred to me that no one ever says that I look like my dad. If they did I would like that, but no one ever does.

When this first started happening, I was in my early 30s. It really pissed me off.  At first I would respond and say, "I thought I looked like Paul Newman."  No one ever got the joke.  They would just frown and say, "I don't think so."

There are worst comparisons like Hitler or Barry Switzer.  Glad I don't look like Obama! Someone would have taken me out by now.

But being old is new to me. I may be 68 but my Mother is almost 95.  I think 95 is old. She gets around better than some people I know in there 40s. She drives, still lives by herself and is self sufficient. I still drive down the street and see a building project and think, "I want to do a project like that someday." (I have been saying those words since I was 20. I think as though everything is still ahead.

In my world it is.

In my church I am an Elder (meaning Old) and this fall I have to be re-affirmed.  When I was younger (30) I thought people after 65 should probably get out of the way.  I don't think that anymore, but I can't help but wonder what the 30-somethings are saying about me, "Mike looks like Ed Asner and he's old!"
 
 
Maybe I'll just grow a beard!

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