Does "life Begin at 60"

[meercat]

As the saying goes "life begins at 60"

Since turning 64 recently iv been wondering.. am i different since i hit 60...

Has your life changed since then?

Someone said the other day.."try to get to know yourself.. find out what you want to get out of life?"

Statistically iv got 29 years to find myself.. my dad's 93..

When we hit 60 where do we go..what do we do?

meercat xx

[White_Rose]

Hello Meercat

Does life begin at 60? I hope life began 60 years previous to that. Not being a smarty. I think life in the sense you mean is always with us. There will always be not so good days as well as the good stuff. It seems to me that the bad stuff helps us to enjoy the good stuff, how else would we know the difference.

Do we have more freedom at 60 to do those things we have longed for or just discovered. Those things that going to work and raising a family seem to limit. But does it? The joy you experienced watching your family grow from helpless babies to great adults. That is as precious as a trip round the world or Australia. And you will not be able to go back and try again.

Those years have also shaped the way you think and behave and have contributed to your appreciation of life in general. It has become clear what you want to do at the third stage of life. 1, child, 2. young adult, 3. mature age. So saying life begins at 60 invalidates all those events you have experienced during your lifetime. Even hard times have added to your life even if it has only taught you to avoid them in the future.

We don't change into a different person even though we may do things differently. Our appreciation of life deepens so that we can celebrate what and who we are now and in the past.

Mary

[meercat]

Hello. Luv ur ref to the "Man flu". Can one have it for 64 years and is there a type called the "Woman flu"?.

Sadly, my ford ranger ute is not going to happen until we can stream the super. I can dream!

meercat xx

[blondguy]

Hey MC

Thanks for drawing a gender parallel where the 'man flu' is concerned 🙂

You will get that Ford Ranger....you have a strong and determined attitude. I dont think you are dreaming at all.

You had a mention on Sara's bouquet thread just fyi..

Great thread MC

Paul

[blondguy]

Hi Meercat

I am 57 but to answer your question.....'Yes it does'

Have a good weekend 🙂

Paul

[Moonstruck]

Yeah well I suppose by contributing here I am admitting to be over the big number 6! I can't say my age out loud even...aaargh! I am thankful I don't look it...or feel it, or dress it.....but what I am finding more and more difficult to deal with (apart from the usual body/physical wear and tear and aches and pains that weren't there before) are the Memories!

I think the majority of my life is behind me....and I have so much more to look back on, than say in my 30s, 40s when I had so much still in front of me. I find myself dwelling on the things I did wrong, re child raising, my broken marriage, the kids' pain and suffering because of it, my over reliance on grog, my fragility, my not coping. I berate myself for making wrong decisions. I want desperately to "go back" and "fix it" now that I know more!!

I can't do that. It kills me that I cannot make amends. I am a good person now, but I am over 60. I should have been a better person THEN.....back THEN...when there was so much to do, so many decisions, two kids depending on me.....Now I am a good person, but it doesn't seem to matter anyway whether I am or not. My influence on the world is so much smaller, if I make wrong decisions...it doesn't affect anyone that much anyway.

The days that really mattered...i.e. in the past.....I stuffed up! the memories are SO HARD to work through and so vivid...so clear. I tear up so easily and seem to be dwelling on my mistakes more and more......that's where I am at just now, anyway.....thanks for listening.

[White_Rose]

Hello Moon

Sorry to read you are not doing well. I believe it is the nature of the beast that we make mistakes in our lives, especially when we were younger, had lots of energy and a desire to change the world. To me the role of an older person is to encourage the next generation to do the best they can. The 'oldies' have a lot to offer. So sad no one sees that until they reach a ripe old age.

You said, I am a good person now, but I am over 60. I should have been a better person THEN. Well whatever your perceived faults were you cannot go back and change them. Consider that if you could go back and change some of your actions, what effect would it have on your present persona and all the people in your life. You don't know and it could have been worse.

Do I spend time regretting my past? Absolutely! We all do and no matter that you think you were the worst person you really know you were not. Apologise to those people still in your life about hurting them in the past. I suspect they will look at you in blank amazement. It is we who are our worst critics.

OK you regret many things and hopefully have learned from your mistakes. I also hope I have learned those things. Instead of looking backwards with regret, look forward with hope and compassion. The hope is for your future activities and the compassion is for yourself so you can forgive yourself. Then you can make amends if you think it necessary by using all your energy to do good instead of squandering much of it on regret. It really is another form of indulgence.

I think you are a courageous person to survive your past. Sure you have a few dints to show and some shame, but instead of adding to that shame acknowledge you have lots of time left and can still play a role in helping others. I'm not keen on revealing my age but as you say I have less time ahead of me and more time in the past. So I want to use this time to do good things and not simply mourn the past.

I presume you have a psych to help you. Why not ask how you can put this 'stuff' behind you and move on to a happier time.

Mary

[Tularu]

Hi Meercat I can totally relate. It can be confronting that life is flying by and wondering wether we are making the most of life! I have taught myself to embrace each day because when you look at the big picture of life it really is about what you do now at this moment and being happy in that moment. I appreciate my age (59) big 60 next year I have learnt a lot during my life as you would have and I am appreciative of this knowledge. It’s always the positive changes we make for ourselves that create our life Jacqui

[Moonstruck]

Well, I think as no-one has posted on here since November 26 - it speaks for itself! that No, it doesn't begin, rather it appears to "end" at least according to wider perception.

We've become invisible, or if we try to join in activities and hobbies alongside those with whom we have so much in common (except the date on our birth certificate) we are sort of "ignored" even though our capabilities and experience in the activity are just as worthy, (and indeed can surpass) a lot of the others.

I was pondering why I had been feeling "left out", blaming myself for being paranoid, imagining slights and over thinking events. Recently I was told outright, that it was my age and I was simply considered "too old" to be included. At least I know now...I wasn't being paranoid at all.

needless to add, it hurt me terribly - I don't feel anything near my age and to have it pointed out as a "reason" for non-inclusion has destroyed my confidence, energy, exuberance and anticipation of being a worthwhile contributor.

this somewhat casual "off hand" remark has devastated me.

[quirkywords]

Moon

As I only a bit over a week away from the big 60 I am not sure whether thank you for warning me or wishing you had not told me you were excluded.

Maybe as my partner is 13 years older than me, and most of my friends are older , I am the young one! So personally I have not be excluded because of age but I can imagine how devastated I would feel if that was the only reason. I am wondering how old the excluders were? were they in their 30s and 40s?

When some one has not posted on a post for a while it becomes hard to find it so it becomes harder to post.

This was timely for you to post here.

Was the group for a sporting group or a social group. I am appalled and how you were treated.

Quirky

[CMF]

Hi all,

I am not approaching 60 but at times wish i was so this part of my life could be over ie kids at school, dependant on me, playing taxi driver etc. Moon, this hit home for me;

' if I make wrong decisions...it doesn't affect anyone that much anyway.'

Wow, yes,this is the crux of my anxiety at times. How things I do or things that happen to me affect the kids. Everything is based around trying to keep them happy and not stress them out.

Will this change when I am 60? Do I have to wait that long?

cmf