Discussion on Aging
This came up again tonight at UPS, so I thought I’d go ahead and type up the gist of my thoughts here, because I’ve felt this way for so long.
I wear gloves and will soon be wearing earplugs when I work at UPS. Not everyone does this, in fact, most people do not wear any precautionary paraphernalia. So, people wonder why I am bothering to do it.
Here are my thoughts behind doing so…
Most of the people in my family have managed to live until they were between 80 and 100 years old. In fact, my dad is now 73 and he hasn’t retired (though he is financially able to do so) and he still works out three times a week (excluding the holidays) at Gold’s Gym. (He likes to kid around about how smart he was to get a lifetime membership there a decade or two ago.)
Since everyone in my family lasts so long I got to see and meet a lot of really old people when I was growing up. A lot of them were in pretty bad shape. Some of them were in pretty great shape though, and were completely independant and fully functional until their 100s. A few of these people (including my paternal grandfather) even caught polio and survived it when they were children.
Now, this got me thinking… I am probably going to end up living that long too. Perhaps I’ll do something stupid and it all sooner, but barring those freak scenarios I’ll probably live through cancer, heart attacks, freak epidemics… whatever. It seems to run in my family.
So, I put people into my mindset when they ask me questions like these. I say, “If you knew that you were almost definately going to live to be somewhere between 80 and 100 no matter what you did (aside from exposing yourself to immediate mortal dangers) how would you act?”
Now, some people think, ‘I’d party more than I already do!’ or ‘I certainly wouldn’t wear safety gear.’ The are missing the point though. I just said you’d survive. I didn’t say that you or I would survive with all our senses, wits, abilities or even body parts. When I mention this part people recall on their own the vast differences that they’ve seen between people of the same age once they push 60.
I then tell them, “Basically, I don’t want to be one of these old, frail, limp dick guys that has a non-functioning body for any number of years before I die. I can’t control how long I live, but I know that I can do a lot to keep myself living well for as many of those years as possible.”
The way I see it… if I am destined to live to be 80 I want to be as fully functioning and healthy as possible, otherwise being 80 is really going to suck. Also, I know 80, 90, and 100-year-olds who function as well, if not better, than people in their 30s and 40s. I choose to be that guy… even if it means I have to wear earplugs around loud noises, work out regularly, and keep everything else in good repair. 
It’s 5 in the morning and I thought I would take a gander at what your up to; you know besides the MAJOR stuff. I can’t believe you work at UPS! My Uncle works at UPS and he’s worked there for something like 15yrs and he’s a driver (deliveryman) and they’re always giving him alot of free hats. He is also the founder of Helping Hands Ministries and the visiting pastor of the Apostolic House of God in Ft.Myers FL. Anywho great site, I LOVE catching up on all things David!
Comment by shavon — April 7, 2005 @ 5:10 am
So - You wear safety goggles and earplugs, but then eat Klondike bars and cookies all day? Hmmmm. I really need to sit down and talk to you about the long-term consequences of such poor nutrition! (:
PS - Did you actually write “limp ____ guys” on your blog? Oh my… I mean, expressing yourself is one thing… but don’t you think that’s a bit much!
Comment by Joy — April 7, 2005 @ 2:07 pm
I was going to say something but Joy had it covered (about the UPS diet..lol).
Don’t you love the mild shock in her comment about you saying “limp dick guys” lol….gotta love Joy. I guess expressing yourself isn’t really expressing yourself since things could be a bit much. Therefore expressing yourself then must be a consored version of the truth of what you feel. Then expressing yourself becomes not really expressing yourself at all since you can’t express yourself as truthfully as you like in order to meet some standard of censorship in communication. I think I’ve hit that point enough to make a statement.
I just wanted to respond to Joy’s comment. I understand where she’s coming from about being proper and things you shouldn’t mention or say. But I know one thing, David I trust you a lot because of those things. I’ve never had to worry that you aren’t being truthful or honest with me because of those little ‘improper’ sayings. It expresses you and reveals who you are as a human being. I love that. I didn’t have to stick a crowbar in you to get to know you as a person, you’re just open and honest.
That’s my favorite quality about you. That type of vulnerability and honesty has helped me be real with myself and with others. So I wanted to thank you for that. I want you to know (obviously as my personal opinion) that quality is valuable and I hope you don’t ever change it. I understand that point is argumentative, certainly on a few levels, so I don’t bother defending the opinion/statement. I’m just expressing that I like how you express yourself.
I also wanted to thank you for not being afraid to say things that need to be said. I’ve only met one other person in my life like that, my mother. Yet my mother is not as philosophical and doesn’t argue well enough to keep up with me. You’re the only other person I know in my life who is bold enough to throw something in my face and keep it there til I look at it. Most others either don’t care enough or are afraid. Yet despite any fear you have, you realize the good that will come from truth. You’re quite a unique person and I’m honored to have you as my friend and brother in Christ. Thank you for the theories you’ve had that have been completely wrong, and thank you for your theories that have been completely right. You are a true friend. Someone willing to risk things so that other may open their eyes. You are someone I hope to be friends with when we are both in our 80s or 90s.
Love
JB
Comment by JB — April 8, 2005 @ 10:48 pm