Age--Almost 45

Age.

Those who know me, know that age has never really bothered me…just a
number… act like you feel, not as you are labeled…if you are mentally
young, you are truly young…etc etc etc.

Well---this year it is bothering me a bit. I will be 45. And that
number is really standing out to me…and not in a good way.

It did not help this morning as I was working out. I had just done
biceps, and two guys who work out together all the time approached me.
Now these two ain’t college students. Probably mid-late 20’s, maybe
even early 30’s. And one of the guys asks, “Excuse me, are you done
with that…sir?”

Sir?

SIR?????????

Yeah, that helped a lot!

OK…maybe they are military, and just call everyone sir and ma’am.
Maybe they come from a farm in the mid-west where mom taught them really
good manners. Yeah…maybe…

Well frick you!!!!! No, you can’t use that piece of equipment…I am
going to pump my arms twice the size of yours! I’ll sir you little
woman men! Stay away from my gym!


Actually, I was done. My arms already ached, and I don’t think I
could lift anymore biceps just then.

They pulled out dumbbells that were a lot heavier than the ones I used
(they have poor form, that’s why they can lift it) and went to work.

I am 45 (very soon) and I am being called sir. Well, I guess I can
ignore that it is getting to me, or just roll with it. I am sure we all
will have many more adjustments to make as we cross this path called
life. Some ages will bother and some won’t, but we need to accept it
either way. Because none of us are going backwards. No one I know is.
And hopefully all me loved ones and friends will have many decades of
dealing with these issues and sharing them together.

So yes…it is bothering me. But I am overall pretty lucky. A wonderful
wife, pets and home. Dear friends who I could not do without. A nice
liquor cabinet. All these young people will be well off, if they find
themselves in as good a place as me, when they are first called ma’am
or sir.