How do you describe your stage of life?
By 41Combedale
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
Greece
August 23, 2016 10:02am CST
A recent newspaper report made me stop in my tracks. It was about a man who attacked a 75 year old woman in order to steal money she had just retrieved from a cash point. She managed to raise an alarm and the man was caught. The judge sentenced him severely because he said the man had ‘attacked a woman in her ‘sunset years’ – and that was what stopped me in my tracks.
I am of a similar age but I do not consider myself in my ‘sunset years’ or even, as Frank Sinatra once sang ‘the autumn of my days’.
I wondered how others view their advancing years and if others accept these colourful descriptions.
When I considered my own view as a Christian I thought it might be more correct to say that I am in my ‘sunrise years’ since at death I believe my spirit will pass to heaven where there will ‘be no night’ anymore.
16 people like this
17 responses
@rebelann (111043)
• El Paso, Texas
23 Aug 16
Interesting, I'm 67 and am a senior citizen so I definitely don't mind reaping the benefits of lower prices for some items because as a senior citizen I no longer earn a full paycheck ...... now as to my frame of mind, well, lets just say I think of it as being a senior in high school, I'm learning so much even though I thought I had already learned it all 
3 people like this
@rebelann (111043)
• El Paso, Texas
23 Aug 16
Me too @hereandthere I figure why pay full price if I can get a discount of some kind.
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
@rebelann and keeping a youthful mind in the process...
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
23 Aug 16
you're not a know-it-all after all (kidding!)
my mother and aunt always ask about the senior citizen discounts.
1 person likes this
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
23 Aug 16
I would like to see that stage as a time to be in heaven also. I'm not that near but I'm not that young either. Or I'm in my middle aged. . For now I have time to have my life fully given to Him so that I will have the assurance that I have lived the life acceptable to Him. So that I will have the confidence that I will have heavenly welcome as well when the time comes. For now it's high time to serve Him with whatever time left in my life.
3 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
25 Aug 16
@hotsummer It won't be easy but then we were not promised it would be. Life is a battle until that final call home.
@divalounger (5849)
• United States
23 Aug 16
When I was in my early 50's I started to think about what I wanted the back half of my life to look like and what I wanted to get done--so at 60, I still think I am a work in progress
2 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
WE are all a work in progress and that is a good way of expressing it. It suggest improvement comes with each passing day.
1 person likes this
@sabtraversa (12787)
• Italy
23 Aug 16
Sunset years. Why not, if it sounds better than "elderly". 
I still feel like in the beginning of spring, the moment right before the sunrise. Oh well, I young. 
I still feel like in the beginning of spring, the moment right before the sunrise. Oh well, I young. 2 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
Enjoy your Springtime and your summer when it comes, they are the time to make the memories that sweeten us later on.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
23 Aug 16
I'm only 65 @41CombedaleRoad but because of my severe health issues, I'm calling it: "My remaining years."
2 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
Hmm that might be a little depressing. I have a friend, now 80 and coping with chemo sessions as they are needed. He calls these years 'special' ones.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99410)
• Canada
23 Aug 16
I do like the "sunrise years" much better. I am at the time in my middle years I know to some younger people I am old but then again I remember being that age and thinking everybody was old too. I didn't realize how quickly those year would go by. Whatever stage of life that I am in I make the most of my life and live it to the fullest.
3 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
Age is not a consideration if we keep in good health and enjoy life as you do.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8526)
• United Kingdom
24 Aug 16
Sunset years is a nicer term than some I've heard :) Although I can see why it would be disliked.
I'm only 35 so, although I feel twice that at times, I haven't thought a great deal about advancing years.
I don't know if there's a name for my generation. We have 'baby boomers' before me and 'millennials' after me. Actually, I've just looked it up and it appears I just fit under 'Generation X' (depending where you look) and my kids are 'Generation Z' (although I thought the eldest, at least, would count as a Millennial. But then again, I guess it depends where you look as different statistics are used by different groups.
I think I've completely gone off topic. Sorry! :)
As I said, I hadn't really thought too much about older age terms. However, I don't like it when people say I'm middle-aged. I don't think I'm old enough to be middle-aged, although my partner (who's 45) seems quite happy to call himself so.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
24 Aug 16
I too think the same as you as i approach old age already . I would relish the rest of my days here and be good , so that when i finally meet my creator , i would be really so qualified to live in His house .
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
I find myself describing someone as 'old' and then realizing that I am older than they are!
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
I still prefer sunrise it suggests a new day coming up, whereas sunset is more suggestive of the day dying.
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
24 Aug 16
@41CombedaleRoad not sure how we would incorporate sunrise into aging - but i like your thoughts
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
24 Aug 16
@41CombedaleRoad that makes sense - now that you explained it - I feel like a school girl not getting that first off
@1creekgirl (40367)
• United States
23 Aug 16
I like knowing I'm closer to being a "youngster" in heaven than the "senior" I am here on earth! Some days I feel almost old, but most of the time I feel much younger. I guess it's all relative.
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
23 Aug 16
Our culture is part of the problem. An African friend once told me that her old mum was one of the most respected people in the village.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40367)
• United States
23 Aug 16
@41CombedaleRoad It's a shame it's not like that here anymore.
@Marilynda1225 (79519)
• United States
23 Aug 16
I certainly don't feel my age and never would view myself as being in my sunset years. I have aunts & uncles in their 80's who could run circles around some younger people
1 person likes this
@itslikethistome (796)
• United States
26 Aug 16
I'm in the autumn of my life 63 years old and will be 64 years old this year.
@celticeagle (158483)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Aug 16
I think that there is a double edge here. Society has always thought of people of a certain age as being in their 'autumn years'. Now that health has taken a step up and 60 is the new 50 it is difficult to for society to get their head around it and change their jargon.
@PurnaSharma (2557)
• Guwahati, India
23 Aug 16
That is all about one's mind set.Today,this discussion made me realise to estimate the stage of my age.By the way what is called to my age stage,i am just 33
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
23 Aug 16
don't reckon i think 'f such?? 's fer that fella who attacked that sweet lady - 'tis 'bout time the law gets serious. my thoughts'd be not so much that she's 'past her prime', but he's referrin' to the fact that once we get to retirement, our lives ought to be joyful 'n no need fer such worries.
