Ode to my 70th birthday

This year I celebrated my seventh decade on Earth. I’m happy to be a septuagenarian.

I’ve heard the phrase, “Age is just a number.” Well, that may be true in one sense, but the larger the number gets the more your mind and body are affected. Your senses diminish, muscles atrophy, balance wanes, and words become elusive. But if you’ve kept growing through the years you’re wiser and more capable. We trade the vigor of youth for the wisdom of age.

Satchel Paige had a unique perspective on age. On Sept. 25, 1965, age 59, Paige became the oldest player to appear in a major league baseball game when he was the starting pitcher for the Kansas City Athletics. When asked how he was able to play competitive professional baseball being that old, he would reply, “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” Then he would add “Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” If I didn’t know how old I am, I think I would be in my early 60s. I feel great.

Since I’ve made it to 70, actuary tables predict that I’ll live to be 84.4, which gives me 14 more years. I think these will be the best and most productive years of my life. I still have fresh vision for things that are not yet seen (vision has been defined as a picture of the future, that is different from the present, that produces passion), so I have something to dream about. I love my work and my colleagues. My entire family lives within 15 miles. I am blessed. I want to live till I die.

I’ll close with a few ubiquitous senior adult memes.