What are some of the good things about being older?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205287)
Walnut Creek, California
January 22, 2019 12:49pm CST
My hunch is that the median age of those who write on this site is over 50. I know that we suffer from back pain, the loss of loved ones, inability to see as well as we once could, and a host of other issues.
But I'd like to know what others ENJOY about being older than you once were. I will start. My "don't give a sh*t" has increased drastically. I used to worry about how others perceived me. Now I don't care.
My ability to see things from many perspectives has increased drastically. I used to think that Liberals wanted to save the world and that Conservatives were mean-spirited and capitalistic. I now realize that most of us are working toward the same goals. We just approach those goals differently.
As a former athlete, I was overly-competitive. I was oriented toward "winning." Now I am oriented toward teaching others the joys of movement, and "the loving of the game," not winning.
I could go on and on. What are some of the things you ENJOY about being older than you once were?
35 people like this
37 responses
@BarBaraPrz (45437)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
22 Jan 19
The best thing about being older? Seniors' discounts!
6 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45437)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
23 Jan 19
@TheHorse Some places give it at 60, or if you look like you're that old, especially if the checkout clerk is really young. 
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12614)
• Ireland
22 Jan 19
@thehorse Many of the things that the younger me thought important have turned out to be not so important after all. I have an appreciation now for just sitting and pondering, watching clouds, not caring that I didn’t get to the phone before it stopped ringing, my own company, pottering about in the garden for no particular reason, growing my own garlic, reading books that have no story line, just a long line of interesting sounding words .....
6 people like this
@xander6464 (40826)
• Wapello, Iowa
4 Apr 19
@TheHorse George Harrison preferred gardening to being a Beatle. I still don't understand the appeal but that is a pretty big endorsement.
@xander6464 (40826)
• Wapello, Iowa
22 Jan 19
Getting older is no problem. You just have to live long enough.
----Groucho Marx
That sums up the way I feel about it.
3 people like this
@vandana7 (98731)
• India
3 Apr 19
I am delighted I do not fear walking on roads a bit late in evenings. I remember there were days when I used to come late from office, and often carried stones in hand just in case I had to hit somebody. Been stalked quite a few times. Old age helped. Home loans cleared helped much more. 1 case out of my way feeling really light hearted. But I realize stress took its toll with that case, and the operatic singer can only bray now. LOL Kidding..I never sang that well, but I was certainly better at it than I am now.
1 person likes this
@just4him (305561)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
22 Jan 19
Being retired and not having a day job. I like this life. I'm more active than I was when I was working. Being on my own time and not someone else's. Being able to go where I want, when I want.
I like the fact my kids acknowledge I just might know what I'm talking about. My grandchildren haven't gotten there yet, but they will.
I could do without the aches and pains of getting old, but I know it's part of the package.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (94806)
• Marion, Ohio
22 Jan 19
My favorite thing is not giving a D***. But I never did too much anyways.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
22 Jan 19
@TheHorse - I agree with you about caring less about what others think. I have always been able to understand and sympathize with multiple political ideologies. When I attended a new college in the 1960s, I actually was a charter member of both the Young Republican and Young Democrats clubs! However, I have grown more liberal as the years have gone by and become disillusioned with the Republicans as they moved away from fiscal responsibility and had policies which caused several recessions and hurt workers. For me, other advantages of growing older have included being able to retire and spend more time doing things I enjoy, including writing a popular retirement blog (baby-boomer-retirement. com) with thousands of readers, as well as being able to just hang out with my friends. As someone else mentioned, my eight grandchildren ranging in age from six months to 25 years also are a delight to me!
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205287)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Jan 19
Like you, I have become more sympathetic toward multiple political ideologies. I started way Left and have moved toward the Center over the years. I had a great dad (long-since passed away) and I get a lot of pleasure being a calm role model for the kids I work with.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205287)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Jan 19
@DeborahDiane Yep. We can only do what we do at "ground zero."
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Jan 19
@TheHorse - I think that being calm role models is one of the best gifts we can give younger generations. We do not help them so much by what we say, as by how we behave. I wish more people in this country would move towards the Center and away from extreme prejudice and ideologies. I also wish people would care more and hate less. However, I'm a realist and know that spiritual leaders have hoped for the same thing for centuries.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Jan 19
I can honestly say not one thing.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205287)
• Walnut Creek, California
22 Jan 19
@playertwo Me neither, but I still would say I enjoy life overall.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Jan 19
@TheHorse No, there's a sadness over what you don't take seriously anymore because it's old age rendering them unimportant thus closer to the grave.
@Happy2BeMe (99399)
• Canada
22 Jan 19
Most people have already said everything I was thinking...grandchildren, the not giving a sh*t attitude, senior discounts
2 people like this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
23 Jan 19
Well sir, I am only 45. 46 in June. So not even PUSHING 50 yet in my book. But your assertion of "I don't give a sh*t" is probably the BEST thing I can see. It is the bomb dot com if you ask me. Yeah, I have cervical radiculopathy and arthritis in my back, I am on blood pressure medication...BUT I still live for the day. I do what I want. I don't care what others think about what I do. I just have fun, and it seems to be getting to be MORE fun to just do THAT each and every day. THAT being said, the Internet DOES allow us to share way more of what we do that might have been better left in the vault. But YOLO. Put it out there and let IT find its way and to hell with what anyone thinks of it. What do I know anyway? I thought one of my DUMBEST songs I ever wrote was Pink Flamingoes. I thought one of the BEST songs I wrote was 102 Idle Stones. Pink Flamingoes has become my best selling song ever, and I now have three versions of it...because...one in my position must capitalize on the ONLY thing that ever worked. 
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205287)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Jan 19
Oh, I've had the same thing happen musically. Years ago, I labored for weeks over a song and came up with something really beautiful and thought-provoking. During the same time, I wrote a "Country" song that was as cliche as a Country song can be (and that's saying a lot!). I wrote it in maybe an hour. I shared both with Ms Horse (still a friend). Her comment (with straight face): I like the Country song.
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
23 Jan 19
Getting older has taught me to value loved ones much more while they're alive, because once they're gone, I will not be able to turn back time to do, and say things that I would have loved to when they were around. It is not easy to to grow up, but it is necessary, that is how life works. :) Good post, it touched me.
2 people like this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
23 Jan 19
@TheHorse Absolutely. I have had those kinds of conversation with older people when im waiting in a queue, or somewhere else.
@WiseGhots (14607)
•
22 Jan 19
I think the best aspect is to become wiser (though not everyone can reach that level, haha).
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205287)
• Walnut Creek, California
22 Jan 19
@WiseGhots I learned that Republicans didn't have horns when I was in Graduate School. The rest is history.
1 person likes this
Though, they would also suggest other ideas, but usually my ideas are what they like.
@JudyEv (325398)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Jan 19
I enjoy being retired and (mostly) setting my own schedule. I am more tolerant than I used to be and don't jump to anywhere near as many conclusions as I used to. Sometimes there is a very good reason for a person's actions or behaviour. However, I'm still pretty gullible.
2 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
25 Jan 19
My experience and art of handling life and its problems
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205287)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Jan 19
@amitkokiladitya Alas, sometimes we're dragged into it against our will.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
26 Jan 19
@TheHorse yes...as we grow we prefer to stay away from any kind of unwanted drama and conflict
1 person likes this
@ThreeTeddies (2038)
• United Kingdom
17 Feb 19
I can't think of any that make growing older worthwhile
1 person likes this
@ThreeTeddies (2038)
• United Kingdom
17 Feb 19
@TheHorse I don't believe my wiseness (is that a word?) has increased much in the last 30 years or so. Either that or I was born wise! (doubt it though!)
