Elderly

Earlier today I was reading this article and it mentioned a 70 year old woman and the person referred to her as elderly. It kind of startled me because I thought, wow, in a little over 10 years I  will be 70 and that would make ME elderly!!  To say the least, I don't like that!!  I texted Vanessa about it and she said something like, would we even have to wait that long?  Are people in their 60s considered elderly?? No way!! They can't be. Can they??

Maybe you are only as old as you feel/think, but others only see an elderly person at that age (whatever that age is).  But just the thought of being elderly makes me sad.  And what's funny (or not), even before my mom died at 80, for some reason I just didn't really think of her as elderly, even though I suppose she was. And her friend Beverly, who is 82, I just don't think of her that way either, maybe because of the way they presented themselves and were always busy when possible. 

At any rate, even when I am in my 70s, I hope others don't think "elderly" when they see me. Hopefully I will still have the same mindset as now and will be healthy and busy so that "elderly" will be the last thing people will think.

Of course this isn't to say not to respect your elders or to give them your seat or bring them whatever they might need. It's just the thought of being "elderly", as in "old". And I do remember Mom not considering herself to be "old" either.

You're as young as you feel, even if you are elderly.

I don't want to be elderly.