Act Your AGE!

“What’s my age again?” -Blink 182

I love walking. The mountain behind our home has paved and dirt hiking trails, offering a variety of workouts for those on foot or bike. The summit of this mountain has two peaks, one mounted with an American flag and one topped with a cross, the latter sitting a bit higher.

One day, while taking a breather at the base of the flag and people-watching as usual, I noticed a very frail old woman coming up the trail, accompanied by a woman near my age. As they approached where I was sitting, the younger woman was suggesting they rest near me, and the old woman walked on determinedly, to the peak with the cross.

One reason she stood out was her garish purple track suit- that crushed satin look from the late 80’s. Her companion sat next to me as I commented that I loved the purple outfit. She shook her head and explained that the old woman was supposed to be walking with a cane, but had made this obstinate trek up the mountain without it, and refused the younger woman’s assistance most of the time.

As the old woman came back toward us, the younger one took her arm to guide her across a patch of rough terrain. As soon as the pavement was smooth again, Ms. Purple Pants pulled away and began her descent, while her aide shot me a look that said, “What are ya gonna do?”

Did I describe the woman in the purple track suit as old and frail?

Someone forgot to tell her.

More recently, I made a trip to the beach with my daughter and her two young sons. My youngest son brought along one of his best friends and while they went boarding and my daughter dug in the sand with her older son, I relaxed in the shade with the baby.

A boy came up to me, asking to borrow one of my grandson’s beach toys, and later came back to ask if I had any more, so I directed him to where my daughter and grandson were digging.

The boy, not a shy bone in his body, asked my daughter if she was helping her brother dig.

“No,” said my daughter. “This is my son.”

“You’re a mom?” The kid was perplexed.

Laughing, my daughter asked, “What? Aren’t moms supposed to dig in the sand?”

“No way!” was his immediate response.

In typical fashion, my grandson was already bored with digging, and he and my daughter went out to do some boogie-boarding.

The boy was even more impressed, “You go boogie-boarding?”

“Yes, and I surf, too.” My daughter was having fun with this.

As she recounted the story to me, I was reminded of a beach trip some 10 years ago, when my oldest son was similarly impressed that I knew how to body-surf.

Last year, when my husband and I took my two boys and his daughter to Baja, his daughter stared in disbelief as her father ran into the surf with a boogie-board.

It’s always amazing that kids think they invented the cool stuff!

Years ago, my favorite band, Aerosmith, was featured on the news show, Dateline. The opening shot showed Steven Tyler, in his traditional skin tight pants, long-jacket with no shirt, sunglasses and wild hair, turning handsprings onstage at a concert. A recent concert.

The voice-over asked, “Is this any way for a man, eligible for AARP, to act and dress?”

HELL YES, it is! The now-past-sixty Tyler is a grandfather, and where is he?

On tour.

So it is with great pride that I salute those who refuse to act their age.

Hats off to skydiving octogenarians and the senior scuba club, to the 60 year old Karate student and the grandmother who climbs onto the swing next to her 3 year old granddaughter.

All those who define the phrase, ‘Age ain’t nothing but a number’

Dara Torres

Chuck Yeager

Georgia O’Keefe

Nolan Ryan

Ann Margret

My list could go on, but I think I need to make a playdate with my grandsons.