I am 48, which qualifies as middle age. I am not technically old. Funny thing about getting old—no matter how old you are, there is always some Boomer who refers to you as a spring chicken. I think that will continue to happen no matter how old I get. I could be 75, and 95-year-olds will be telling me how young I am. It’s not helpful.
I am 58 and feel better than I did in my 30's. Most of what you are attributing to age is poor health and the canary in the coal mine. I felt like you at the end of my 30's, had a serious health crisis, then made lifestyle changes. Flexibility, strength and good diet will reverse most of that. If I skip my yoga for more than a few days, my hip starts to act up, but when I do it regularly, the hip is fine. Same with the weight lifting.
Agree on friends, but also I find I prune out my relationships because I know enough people that I only want good people around me. I suspect you are doing the same because you attract good people.
Our cult of youth needs to end. In many industries by 50 you are tossed out and much knowledge is lost. In banking you are up or out and you are 100% right on where that ends.
As a woman being old is super fun as now when I flirt it is for entertainment as I am no longer seen as a sexual being. It is incredibly liberating. Patience is a wonderful thing to gain. Death and funerals make life richer. As for cancer, we can prepare continually, so a long, painful decline is not needed. I ask myself regularly how I want to spend this last segment of my life.
I am 67 (I actually had to do the math😜 - you are really only as old as you feel). My stepdad passed from colon CA a number of years ago - if you could pick someone to go on Jeopardy in your place he would be my pick. I told him that I must be getting old because when I got up out of sitting in a chair for awhile I was really stiff. He asked me how many steps it took before it went away. I said “2”. He said “Just wait until you have to make it all the way across the room before it goes away. That “experience” thing should really be appreciated. Thanks for another great article! GFY!
60 years and dying but my thoughts on cancer is the same as yours. But how we will end is as stochastic as the financial markets with a downward convexity. How it ends matters as much as how is the now.
“It is more important to have friends than be right” Sooo true. I’m reminded of a QTR podcast with Schectman. When asked by his wife in the car why he let a guy at a gathering tell him he was wrong even though he wasn’t: “do you want to keep getting invited to parties?” Sage stuff
I am 58 and feel better than I did in my 30's. Most of what you are attributing to age is poor health and the canary in the coal mine. I felt like you at the end of my 30's, had a serious health crisis, then made lifestyle changes. Flexibility, strength and good diet will reverse most of that. If I skip my yoga for more than a few days, my hip starts to act up, but when I do it regularly, the hip is fine. Same with the weight lifting.
Agree on friends, but also I find I prune out my relationships because I know enough people that I only want good people around me. I suspect you are doing the same because you attract good people.
Our cult of youth needs to end. In many industries by 50 you are tossed out and much knowledge is lost. In banking you are up or out and you are 100% right on where that ends.
As a woman being old is super fun as now when I flirt it is for entertainment as I am no longer seen as a sexual being. It is incredibly liberating. Patience is a wonderful thing to gain. Death and funerals make life richer. As for cancer, we can prepare continually, so a long, painful decline is not needed. I ask myself regularly how I want to spend this last segment of my life.
Your writing just gets better Jared. This is a profound piece. Well done.
HA! "Go fuck yourself again"
This was a good one Jared
I am 67 (I actually had to do the math😜 - you are really only as old as you feel). My stepdad passed from colon CA a number of years ago - if you could pick someone to go on Jeopardy in your place he would be my pick. I told him that I must be getting old because when I got up out of sitting in a chair for awhile I was really stiff. He asked me how many steps it took before it went away. I said “2”. He said “Just wait until you have to make it all the way across the room before it goes away. That “experience” thing should really be appreciated. Thanks for another great article! GFY!
60 years and dying but my thoughts on cancer is the same as yours. But how we will end is as stochastic as the financial markets with a downward convexity. How it ends matters as much as how is the now.
The old phrase "youth is wasted on the young" means more and more to me every day.
“It is more important to have friends than be right” Sooo true. I’m reminded of a QTR podcast with Schectman. When asked by his wife in the car why he let a guy at a gathering tell him he was wrong even though he wasn’t: “do you want to keep getting invited to parties?” Sage stuff