In 365 days, I can officially become a member of Berks Encore. That means that all my classmates from the Class of 1983 will be able to join me as well, some sooner than others. I’ve spent the past five years telling everyone to applaud life after 50, but now that I’m on the doorstep to actually turning the big 5-0, things feel a little different.
It’s difficult for me to think that I’ll be able to begin taking advantage of “Senior” discounts. Will I take advantage of them though? I’m not sure. My brain says, “Of course I’ll take advantage of every discount that comes my way” while my heart says “No way; those are for old people.”
The truth is, I’ve never really worried about my age or had any angst over a milestone birthday. Chances are next year I won’t have any worries either. That’s primarily because I was smart enough to marry someone older than me, so despite my age, I will always be younger than him. Genius idea on my part I know.
I suppose nothing will really change once the clock strikes midnight and I am no longer forty-something. And that’s just fine with me. In my opinion, the key to growing older is to continue to live your life as you like and to not dwell on the number of days you’ve been on this planet. It’s about family and friends who don’t notice the lines slowly forming around your eyes because they are too busy creating new memories with you. It’s about making a difference in not only your own life, but in the lives of your children, family, friends and neighbors.
To help me make the transition, I would love to hear from all of you about how you felt on your 50th birthday. What words of wisdom do you have for the Class of 1983?
At the end of the day, I know I will be fine. I will embrace this new chapter of my life just as I’ve embraced going off to college, getting married and having children. Maybe applauding life after 50 won’t be hard after all.
