At my particular age (early-mid-40’s and let’s call it good) things-they-are-a-changing.  I’ve noticed for awhile now that skin is getting thinner and hairs are getting whiter.  NOT GRAY.  I am paying the price for sun tanning with baby oil.  There is definitely evidence of past and current scowling.  And laughter.  Things creak and pop. A lot.

On the other hand, I can distinctly remember my parents being this age, and while they may have been thinking the same things about their bodies, the lives they led then were different.  My mom still had two kids at home and was about to become a grandma, thanks to my younger sister.  They had moved and were starting a new life in a new state.  There was no Google or internet, no easy way to keep in touch or up to date in the world – though I’m not even sure they wanted to; that’s not the way things were then.

Many of my friends of a similar age are now facing parents who are getting up there and need our help.  The Geek’s mom fell last week and hurt her shoulder, another’s mom had knee surgery, a dad had back surgery…the list goes on. It’s THAT time.  How on earth did that happen?!  Surely I am not grown up yet.  It does cause moments of panic when I stop to consider it.

Physically, our parents have aged as I am, but mentally it’s a whole different ball game.  No doubt it’s a personality thing – I know people my age and younger that act a whole lot older, and not in a good way.  I won’t wear skirts up to my hoo-hah, but if I see something cute in Forever 21, you can bet I’ll buy it.  I’ve never had to exercise to lose weight but I need to start now to firm things up a bit. Keeping an ear and eye for what’s up and coming, what’s fresh, what those young people are up to, should take a few years off.  If I had the money, I might consider Botox but that’s a slippery slope and I’m too lazy.

In the meantime, I’ll try the next new cream, a Kinect execise game, eat some extra fruits and veggies and spend lots of quality time with my family and friends making new laugh lines.  And while it scares the holy hell out of me to think I’m old enough to have parents that will need my help soon, you can bet I’ll be there when the time comes.  For now, I hear red wine has some medicinal properties that require investigating.