The mind of a 72 year old

When I was around 40 years old, I would look at 70 year old and older people and wonder what was going on in their minds.

Were they worried about approaching death?

Did they wish that they were 40 years old again ( or 30 or 20)?

Were they conscious that their reflexes were slowing?

Were they conscious of the wrinkles on their face and hands and the liver spots on their body?

Were they envious of younger people?

Now that I am 72 years old, I can answer these questions for myself.

I am not worried about approaching death. Does this mean I am looking forward to it? Emphatically, no. It just means that I will live my life as fully as I can and will not feel sad when I have to go.

I don't wish that I was younger. I am OK with my age with all the pluses and minuses that come with it.

I am not conscious of my reflexes slowing, but I do know that they are slowing and that others are also conscious of my slowing reflexes.

I am not self-conscious of the wrinkles that come with my age. Of course, I am vain enough to do stretching exercises in hopes of keeping my skin taut and delaying the wrinkles showing.

I am not envious of younger people. I am happy that they are living in an age of more technical advancements than I had at their age. I also am thankful that I don´t have to cope with the kind of pressures that they face– be it at work or at home.Here´s the catch– it´s quite likely that what I think is pressure might be normal for them!!!! 

Is my 72 year old mind thinking something new? I don´t think so. Itś just that I am articulating something that is probably going on in the mind of all my 72 year old friends.