The "Acting Your Age" Story

It was an ordinary day.  And, today I feel my age.  So what does that really mean.  Well, many people tell you that you're only as old as you feel.  You may be 60, 65, or even 70, but you feel that you can do everything you always could do when you were say 40.  Maybe not as well or as fast as when you were 40, but at least you can still do what you did when you were 40.  Today I physically can't do most things that I did when I was 40.  Back surgery half a year ago and a recent encounter with a case of shingles has put me in my place.  No more running, skipping or jumping right now.  No more hitting grounders or fly balls to the grandkids.  Matter-of-fact, no long walks right now.  I'm starting to feel like my grandparents probably did when I was younger.  I loved my grandpap!  He could do just about anything, or so I thought.  I remember when he would stand on his head in the corner of the room and when all the loose change in his pockets started falling out, I scurried for it.  Little did I know that he knew it would fall out and he was showing off to make himself feel younger.  I guess I do that when I'm around my grandkids.  Always doing something "goofy" for the grandkids so they will think I'm really younger than I am.  But, kids have no conception of age, do they?  I suspect they picture me as Tampah, which is who I really am, but they don't associate me with being old.  Heck, I'm Tampah.  I'm ageless!  If only I could feel that way again.  My grandkids look at me without judgement.  Age spots mean nothing to them. The wrinkles I am developing in my skin; they could care less about them.  But, you know, admiring an older person like I did with my grandpap, is so different than being one.  The mirror in my bathroom doesn't lie.  The age spots, wrinkles, and loss of muscle tone mean more to me than they do to the grandkids.  I look at my mother who is going to be 90 and see what aging has done to her body and realize that I'll be in her shoes in another 20 odd years.  But, you know you can't let aging bother you.  Do you ever look at your friends and think how much older they look than you do.  I do all the time.  And ....... they really do look older!  At least in my mind they do.  When I go to the beach and see the older bodies, I feel young again.  When I'm with my grandkids, joking, laughing and making fun of just about everything, I feel young again.  Then, just when I really get going with the grandkids, my wife will say, "LDub, act your age!"  And my reply ........ "I am." At least in my mind.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

Tampah and the grandkids goofing around.  Can you tell which one is Tampah?  Hope not!