Guest Post by Micah Ward

We were hanging out at Ed’s Tiki bar drinking beer and watching college football. There was a break in the action and the camera panned over to the pompom waving, high leg kicking cheerleaders. And someone opined what serves as a profound statement for our little group of friends.

“The first time I felt like I was getting older was when high school cheerleaders started looking like little girls. Now the college cheerleaders do too.”

Isn’t perspective an interesting thing? The very cheerleaders who were once the pinnacle of female beauty, rivaled only by Hollywood stars, are now closer to my grandsons’ ages than mine.

A few days after the game I was in the gym and encountered another sign of growing older. Back in the “good old days” I cranked out pullups and dips as part of my warm up. Now I use the machine that enables me to do assisted pullups and dips. I looked at the geezer on the machine beside me and said, “I used to do these without help.” He replied, “Yeah, me too. But not anymore. At least we’re here doing something though. I guess that counts.”

A new fitness paradigm for this aging male. Forget lifting heavier and heavier weights and just lift what you can. Don’t worry about building muscle, just try to slow down the loss. Merely showing up is a win.

As a life long runner I am already familiar with this concept of just showing up. The older a runner becomes, the more important the age group medals become. I have won some of those by simply being one of the three geezers who happened to show up that day. Is that a metaphor for aging well? Just show up every day?

I don’t know about you ladies but here is a big sign that a guy is getting old. One day he realizes that he is older than every professional baseball, football, basketball or hockey player. That may be a bigger psychological blow than even grey hair or the first Viagra prescription.

Try this on for size. Mike Trout is the undisputed best player in major league baseball. He’s ten years younger than my youngest daughter. Tom Brady amazes football fans for his ability to play in the NFL at the same age as my oldest son-in-law. Things like that make a guy feel old.

Certain reoccurring events can also make a guy feel old, like presidential elections. If I live to the same age my oldest grandparent was when she passed away, and if presidents continue to serve two terms, then I probably have only four more presidents to see in my lifetime. I have eight more summer Olympics.

If I live to the same age my father was when he died, then I should see five grandsons graduate from college. But I would not see number six walk across the stage and get his diploma.

Of course, I have prostate cancer. Most of us guys will get that if we live long enough.

Does all that depress me? No, because there are advantages to growing old. I’m not climbing the corporate or organizational ladder anymore. I don’t have to worry about dressing for success. I simply need to cover my essentials and be comfortable. What if the colors don’t match? Who cares? Us old farts are expected to dress funny!

Yes, I’ve become old. But it’s ok. Perspectives change and some things that seemed so important in life are no longer a big concern. I care less about being right. I care less about what others think of me. I’m not as easily offended as I was in my youth and I put a higher premium on laughing and enjoying myself.

And while those cheerleaders may look like little girls, I have noticed that a few of those grey haired women in the seniors fitness class are pretty hot! It’s all a matter of perspective.

Of course, I have prostate cancer. Most of us guys will get that if we live long enough.

Does all that depress me? No, because there are advantages to growing old. I’m not climbing the corporate or organizational ladder anymore. I don’t have to worry about dressing for success. I simply need to cover my essentials and be comfortable. What if the colors don’t match? Who cares? Us old farts are expected to dress funny!

Yes, I’ve become old. But it’s ok. Perspectives change and some things that seemed so important in life are no longer a big concern. I care less about being right. I care less about what others think of me. I’m not as easily offended as I was in my youth and I put a higher premium on laughing and enjoying myself.

And while those cheerleaders may look like little girls, I have noticed that a few of those grey haired women in the seniors fitness class are pretty hot! It’s all a matter of perspective.

Micah Ward is a retiree who writes, runs, prays, and enjoys craft beer in the rolling hills of central Tennessee. He goes to the ocean when he can. His original post was written in 2019.  You can read more of his writing by clicking here.