I am a 72-year-old man. Often it’s hard for me to grasp how old I am. I still have this mental image of myself as a man in his 30s. My body, however, tells a different story. The thick brown hair I once had is now gray and thinning in spots. I struggle to hear people even when they’re nearby. My sleep is restless, and while I never used to nap, I now rely on them—sometimes for two or three hours in the afternoon. My face is marked with age spots, and I carry a large scar on my left leg from a cancer removal surgery 13 years ago. I even had to spend over $20,000 on new teeth so I could eat comfortably.
Still, I consider myself lucky. I am moderately active, playing competitive pickleball 3 to 4 times a week. I am not a candidate for knee or hip replacement like so many men and women my age. I still have a decent pace when I walk. I can get out comfortably from my car. With medication, my high blood pressure iand type two diabetes are under control.
Despite my current good fortune, I feel the walls of time, good health and good fortune closing in. How much time do I have before my good luck runs out? They say that there are three phases to retirement, the first is go – go; the second is slow – go and the third is no – go. I have enjoyed the first phase of retirement for about seven years. But I sense a transition is coming soon.
I grow tired quickly lately. Often what my mind and spirit conceive, my body and limited energy cannot achieve. I was once used to pushing past my limits, but now I’m learning, albeit grudgingly, to accept them.
Every day of good health and life is a blessing. I realize this can all change in a flashing moment. When I think of the future, I don’t view it as the next ten years, five years or next year, my future is now.
Esot-eric 