Act Your Age? No Thanks!

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Act your age.  Probably something we have all been told at some point in our lives.  And at times, that command is completely appropriate.  It drives me nuts how so many people, mostly women, refuse to act like adults.  I see countless acts of bitter, immature women all the time.  Women act this way mostly toward other women, out of jealousy and a sense of competition.  I often want to tell these women to act their age.

But there are times when it is good to not act your age.

Today, I had an opportunity to spend some time with some "senior citizens".  It struck me how much people with the label of "senior citizen" decide to act, well, like old folks.  You know what I mean, they wear old people clothes, and engage in exclusively old folks activities.  I just don't get it.  Then I realized, I don't get it because none of the older role models I have in my family act this way.

I will start with my parents.  I often forget that because my parents are of retirement age, they are technically considered "seniors".  This label is a load of poppycock when it comes to Mom and Dad.  Not only do they both look incredibly young, they act it.  My mom always has her hair and nails looking nice, usually way nicer than mine, and she wears stylish clothes.  Same with my dad, even though his hair has been grey since he was in his 30s, he has never dressed like an old man.  And they do not act old either.  They are constantly busy with their grandkids, active in their church, and my dad even works 2 part time jobs.

The same can be said for my aunts and uncles.  None of them act old.  Even my grandmother, until the time she passed away in her 90s, never acted old.  She traveled, stayed busy, and lived in her home, no retirement center for her.  Heck, this is a woman who got a speeding ticket in her 80s!  Sure, she had broken a hip, but the first time she did it polka dancing with her great grandson.

I love that despite the fact that these people are my elders, they refuse to be elderly.  I hope that when I am old enough to retire, I am still as youthful and active as they all have been.

Thanks for the reminder that it's ok to not act my age once in a while!