What does age mean to you?
When I was growing up, my grandparents were ancient. They were only in their fifties in my early memories, but they were OLD. When my parents got to their fifties, they weren’t nearly as old as their parents were at the same age.
Obviously some of the difference was my perspective. I was about fifty per cent of their ages when they turned fifty, compared to less than ten per cent of my grandparents’ ages at the same point in their lives. But there was also a real difference. They dressed in older fashions, wore their hair in older fashions (well, my grandfather didn’t have much, but anyway). I can put photos of each of those generations side by side at about the same respective ages, and my grandparents still look considerably older.
Now that I’m in my late sixties, I look much younger than my dad did at this age, and much, much younger than my granddad. On the other hand, when I look in the mirror I remember myself as a teenager or a 35 year-old, and I look ancient.
Wonder what my grandkids see when they look at me. An old man, I’m sure. I don’t dodder yet (whatever that means), but I definitely wouldn’t be thought of as looking young—except by my 95 year-old mother. I know my grandsons love me, just as I loved my grandparents, but I wonder if I look as old to them as mine did to me.
Reversing the perspective, my daughter is the same age I was when she entered her junior year in high school. Although healthy and active at that age, I knew I was no spring chicken. Yet she looks like a 20 year-old to me. Bet she doesn’t to her kids.
Maybe part of the point of pictures of parents and grandparents is to make us feel a bit younger by comparison. It works. Makes it easier for us to lie to ourselves.
David N. Walker is a Christian father and grandfather, a grounded pilot and a near-scratch golfer who had to give up the game because of shoulder problems. A graduate of Duke University, he spent 42 years as a health insurance agent. Most of that career was spent in Texas, but for a few years he traveled many other states. He started writing about 20 years ago, and has six unpublished novels to use as primers on how NOT to write fiction. Since his retirement from insurance a few years ago, he has devoted his time to helping Kristen Lamb start Warrior Writers’ Boot Camp and trying to learn to write a successful novel himself.
David N Walker 
Anyone 20 years older than me is “old.” Anything less is not old. Anyone 20 years or more younger than me is a “kid.” My parents are the same “age” they were when I was 20, because they’ve always been 20 years older than me. I speak in jest, to some degree, but the perspective has never changed. I’m the same age I’ve always been.
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Wonder if that makes me old, Jeff.
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Haha. I don’t think so…if that’s your picture, you don’t look old to me.
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You mean you’re not, Angela? I thought surely . . .
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I agree, David. You don’t look nearly as old as Dad did at 68. And yes, Mom is an exception to all rules. Well put.
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I can’t say any more than you have here, David. I know that we don’t look nearly as old as Mimi or Mama or Poppy at our ages. But I do think I look as old as Mom did at 70 …. she was more spry still than I am … and very active, if I remember right.
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Your memory is right, Barb, but Mother is an exception to all rules. I don’t think I look as old as Dad looked at 68.
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Age perspective… As I age, I lie about my age. I tell everyone I’m 10 years older than I am. Then they say… “Wow! you look really good for… ” It’s all about perspective.
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Yeah, Karlene, but unless your blog photo is 20 years old, you look good for your age anyhow.
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I think you look great! I would never have guessed your age from your photo! I think women hide their age by dying their hair. My mom just let hers go white although it does look great on her.
Our generation is taking better care of our bodies and like you said we are keeping up with fashion. I remember my grandma with her polyester pant suits and matching beads. It screamed to everyone I am over 60! See”?
Great post!
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Thanks for the kind words, Susie.
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LOL. “lie to ourselves” … ah, you spotted (one of) my failings. I keep trying to be twenty but my body isn’t having it. You’re right about the perspective and I dread the day when it dawns on my girl that age makes a difference.
Good post.
Cheers!
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You probably need to give up on 20, Nigel. Up it to 29 or 30.
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My son still tells me I’m the prettiest mommy of all the mommies.
He can lie to me for as long as he likes. 😉
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Don’t argue with your son, Renee. I sure wouldn’t.
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