Age Is Only a Number

Age has never been very important to me. I once saw a quote on a headstone in the cemetery that read, ” Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.” I’m not sure who said it, but it resonates with me more and more as each year passes.

My friends laugh at my method for keeping track of my age. I always round off to the next number ending in a zero. So for example, I am currently 68, but when asked, I say I am 70. I have been 70 since I turned 61 because I round up. I love the reactions I get from strangers. My response is often, “Age is only a number. Pick one you like.”

This little idiosyncrasy of mine does have repercussions at times. My family was on a fabulous trip on a beautiful five-masted sailing ship one year. My birthday happened to fall during the vacation and my children were convinced I was turning 60 for real. There was a huge celebration, special dinner prepared by the chef, cake, and gifts all to mark my 60th milestone. I thanked them profusely, then admitted that it was actually my 59th birthday. They accused me of not knowing my own age. When I finally convinced them I was telling the truth, they laughed and said there would be no repeat party next year.

This year when I turned 68, my daughter surprised me with a lovely cake that said, “Happy 80th” ! I loved her sense of humor.

Why do we focus so much on age? Instead of counting the years, we should learn to make every day count for something. Learn something new, try something new, go somewhere new. After all, when all is said and done the only thing that matters is how you live, not how long.

I am so lucky to have collected a group of friends throughout my life that share my outlook on growing older. They are a most eclectic group of women, each with their own unique qualities. This is my first of what I hope to be many blog entries about this sensational group of seniors. I look forward to hearing your comments or your own opinions.

Thanks for reading,

Penny   xo