When do you become "old"?

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As I stood at a store's register counter recently, the sales clerk said, “Oh, you have a birthday coming up. (I’m a member of an “insider club,” where the store keeps track of such things) You get 15 percent off, and happy birthday!”

“Thank you, but I don’t want them any more. I’ve had enough!” I joked.

“Yes you do,” she said, quietly and sternly.

I immediately got what she meant. It was days after the death of Farah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson, and yes, I don’t want to be dead just yet. So, I must continue to have birthdays (and perhaps should start really celebrating them).

But as I slowly slide toward 60, I wonder — am I "old" yet? A new survey shows that young people, mid-lifers and seniors view "old" differently. No surprise there. But what does it mean, and what are our expectations of growing older?

Forty may be the new 30, but I don't think 60 is the new 50!

When will you consider yourself "old" — when you start to feel it, or when other people start to view you that way?

Tags: 60, age, birthday, boomers, ed, farah, fawcett, happy, jackson, mcmahon

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kelly Luzod-Jones on July 13, 2009 at 7:32am: I think regardless of your age, anyone younger than you by 2 years or 20 years is going to view you as old! Hence, the big debate is within yourself, what are you going to do about how people perceive you? I just turned 40 this year and my teenage nieces think I'm ancient...my twenty something co-workers think i look good for "my age," and my 30 something friends tease me that I'm now the "next generation!"
My personal view now, is that I'll consider myself "Old" the moment I forget what it's like to be "Young!"

Live it up, you've only one shot at life so make it a great one...60 is just 60, like any other number. Embrace it and have a ball with it girl!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kathleen Hoffman on July 13, 2009 at 8:38am: I totally agree with Kelly's last comment...I am 50 with an 8 year old. I had my son at 41 and I had moms asking me if he was my grandson as I walked and carried him around. I sure went through what you are going through when I turned 50 this year and am trying a new path because of it. So do what your heart desires because this is the only life we know of....live it!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Martha Scully on July 13, 2009 at 2:00pm: You are only old when you start to think of yourself old!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kelly Luzod-Jones on July 13, 2009 at 10:01pm: 50 with an 8 year old...that's Fabulous and because of that you look fantastic!

Kathleen Hoffman said:
I totally agree with Kelly's last comment...I am 50 with an 8 year old. I had my son at 41 and I had moms asking me if he was my grandson as I walked and carried him around. I sure went through what you are going through when I turned 50 this year and am trying a new path because of it. So do what your heart desires because this is the only life we know of....live it!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Angela Moore on July 14, 2009 at 8:31am: I think it all depends on how you look at it and it's all based on perception. I can remember when 30 seemed old. Now I'm approaching my 30th birthday and feel very young. I felt "old" when I turned 21. Now I'm embracing where I am in life. It's all about how you look at it...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Susan Mentzer on July 14, 2009 at 7:24pm: I would say my birthday is on hold. I froze my birthday so they never happen again and I remain young forever!
Remember the saying you are only as old as you feel!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loretta Oliver on July 15, 2009 at 1:56am: You definitely still want those birthdays! You're only as old as you're willing to admit -lol- I was "25" for quite a few years in a row. But, I've since come to grips with my age and am enjoying being 30. Of course, I might feel differently in 20 or 30 years when I have a zillion grandkids :-p; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by DPopTart on July 15, 2009 at 4:53am: My daughter told me at age 6 that I was older than dirt. I asked her how old dirt was; she said 30. As I was 31, she won ;)

That was 14 years ago.

Personally, feeling old has a lot to do with how hard I've worked that day; or, more optimistically, how young I feel has much to do with how well I've played that day ;); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Beatrice Foster on July 15, 2009 at 12:02pm: Old never, I looked forward to 40 where most of my friends dreeded the big 4 0. I will turn 47 in August and getting closer to 50 each year. I do not consider myself old, I act silly and play games with the kids in the neighborhood and teach them some games we played...like jumping rope, jacks and checkers and do not let them win. I enjoy acting their age...My grown kids joke that I am the biggest kid in the house; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ruth Edensor on July 16, 2009 at 1:20am: Hi,

When I was young I thought people my age were old timers and I'm ONLY 47. I often ask people when are you too old to wear jeans because I love them and don't want to look like mutton.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lisa Beels on July 16, 2009 at 8:19am: It's all relative to who you are with, in my opinion. When I am with my assistant (who is 23), I most definitely feel old. But...when I'm around my mom's friends, they still call me "young". I'm 37....some days I feel old (especially when I open my eyes and my eyelids still feel VERY heavy and swollen), and some days I feel pretty good.

Sometimes, however, when I am with my assistant, she keeps me feeling "young" and updates me on all the new lingo, places to eat, and styles.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lisa Beels on July 16, 2009 at 8:20am: I remember when I was 18, 21 seemed old!!!!!

Ruth Edensor said:
Hi,

When I was young I thought people my age were old timers and I'm ONLY 47. I often ask people when are you too old to wear jeans because I love them and don't want to look like mutton.; ▶ Reply to This