November 25, 2015 Article

The Old Coot explains the aging process.

By Merlin Lessler

It was my birthday the other day. The third in my 8th decade. (That’s 73 if you do the math.) It’s like erecting a pyramid, this aging process. You build it one year at a time, one layer at a time. Each successive level is slightly smaller making it go by quicker. When you get to my age, old coot age, a year is super short, just the opposite of when you’re closer to the base of your age pyramid. A mother says to her five-year-old at Thanksgiving, “Christmas is coming; only four more weeks!” It seems like an eternity to the kid, but for the mother, it’s rushing toward her like a speeding bullet. It all depends on where you are on your pyramid. 

Now that I’m near the top of mine, a year zooms by so fast I hardly notice it. I just hope my pyramid has a pointy top like the ones in Egypt and not a flat top like a Mayan one, where the last level comes to you sooner than you anticipated.

When a young guy stumbles upon an old coot celebrating a birthday, he kind of snickers and wonders how the old guy can stand it, being so ancient. Like it’s our fault, like we have a choice. But, the joke’s on him; it’s great to be celebrating a birthday with a 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 as the first number. Why? Because it truly does get better every year; it doesn’t matter how many candles are crowding the top of our birthday cake pyramid.

Oh sure, we’ve amassed a legion of afflictions and physical deficiencies. But, we’ve dealt with them and for the most part don’t feel any different than when we were young. (Most of us. Most of the time). Ask an old coot how it feels to be 60,70, 80 or whatever, and he’ll likely say, “I don’t really know. I don’t feel any different than I did when I was in my thirties.” (The human memory is kind to us as we age).

But it’s true. We have a whole pyramid of life experiences to reflect on, to bask in. And, not just the great moments, even the bad ones take on a positive note. We survived! We overcame! We learned to accept the hand dealt us. And, of course, the passage of time deadens the pain.

So, when you see an old coot ticking off a high numbered birthday, don’t feel sorry for him. He’s not wallowing in self-pity because he reached another milestone. He’s thrilled, and wouldn’t trade ages with you for anything. Don’t believe me? You will. It’s just a matter of time.

Comments, Complaints? - Send to mlessler7@gmail.com