Osprey
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Olding
Been almost 3 years ago that I posted this and now's a good time to reprise it.
Olding
Through The Learning Channel, Discovery and National Geographic I stay in touch with the world. So much to see and be amazed by. Recently I learned
that early man had very short life spans -- Cro-Magnon, Neanderthal both about 40 years on average. I’ve known for a while the sad statistics of the
short life expectancy of people in countries like Niger (29) or Uganda (33) and others ravaged by drought, disease, war.
I live in Mexico. Life expectancy here, for a man, is 72. I turned 78 years old in October. I’ve already beat the curve for a lot of countries.
Now that I have, I begin to feel another kind of sympathy for those who die young, before their time --- whatever the hell that means.
When I was a young man, I did youthful, energetic things. Now I can wallow in the sloth of old age, do all the things old people are famous for. I
shall always consider myself lucky to have lived long enough to reach this age, live in this way.
Those unlucky souls who died while still very young, who were simply worn out, worn down by the conditions under which they lived and labored could
only have their youth to remember. I give them no dishonor when I speculate that a man of 35 years, living in a country where his life expectancy is
age 40, does not consider himself old by my standards. He will die before he can look old, feel old, be old. That’s the sad part.
He will never feel the pleasure of the complaint. His ills and ailments will never become his welcome bedmates, his friends and constant companions.
This man can never know the satisfaction of being the victim of time, the joy of grousing about how ageing gnaws away at the body and the mind.
It is not possible for a young man to fully appreciate the satisfaction in scolding, chiding, advising a 50 year old son or daughter -- a special kind
of fulfillment found in sharing one’s hard-won wisdom with the foolish, wrong-headed youngster. One of life’s precious secrets, learned at the age of
25 is no more than a fuzzy footnote to the sum and substance that man would take to the grave if he died a mere 15 years later.
The same secret, about women, politics, the human condition, carried about, polished, cleaned, tuned for 60 years, takes on the importance, the
majesty of The Rosetta Stone, Hammurabi’s book of laws.
What of serious dialectic, discussion, argument? The young-old man has only children to talk with, to lecture to. A man of 80 or more years can and
will argue with anyone who has ears, vocal chords, a tongue, soft palate and lips. His most eloquent pronouncements are soliloquies -- what we
sometimes hear as mutterings, gibberish, are actually arguments won and lost with the master of the argument, the old man himself.
I’m coming of age myself. Last year I took some visitors, friends and family from the states, fishing in my little boat. We saw some marlin that
wouldn’t bite, caught two small tuna. Rays were jumping everywhere. One of the youngsters asked me why the manta rays jumped. I said “Because they
can.”
Later that day my grandson Greg said “Grampa, why don’t we all go down to the beach, go for a swim?”
I said. “Because I don’t have to. Because I don’t want to.”
A statement not so much of prerogative but, considered against the millions who can never make such a gruff and gritty rejoinder, an obligatory
declaration.
He probably mis-read my grin. He doesn’t know what it means when I rub my big belly with both hands, grin that way, open another beer. He‘s lousy at
current events, geography. He doesn‘t know about the young-old people in Gambia, Ethiopia.
He’s 11 years old, lives in Las Vegas. Tomorrow he and I are going for a ride on the beach in my dunebuggie, sit and fish awhile. By the time we get
back to the house he’ll know just how lucky he was to be born in Nevada where they let you live as long as you want.
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fishbuck
Banned
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You are a wise old bird.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Coming to terms with one's mortality is a big part of life, Jorge.
Your observations and understandings are admirable for your place in the scheme of things which you've designed.
I won't cry at your funeral if you promise not to cry at mine. Just carry on.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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BigBearRider
Super Nomad
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Mood: 
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Very nice story. Thanks for posting. I'm 43. Today, my father turns 77. I disagree with him on a lot of things. I'm pretty sure that I'm right.
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sancho
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2524
Registered: 10-6-2004
Location: OC So Cal
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A couple things about Mex Culture, which seem opposed to
our, US, version of what may be, is the belief in fate. From
what I gather, the idea one can change one's path or outcome
is not a part of the Mex mindset. If one is to have an accident,
there is nothing one can do to prevent it. Set in stone. So one
can go down Mex 1, with no anxiety, knowing the future is
unchangeable. I may be fooling myself thinking caution,
attention to detail has a bering on anything. Does seem to
be an obvious item or 2, one can do to make the journey
smoother, a little longer, but who knows
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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Osprey you have outlasted a metric chit-ton of others who didnt have whatever it took to do it. You are the embodiment of what most of my friends and
I look forward to. Well, if you started surfing, that is!
We leave at O-dark-30 for the innards of Baja. I've got a large 3-ring binder full of your short stories which I've printed out over the years
complete with a cover page emblazoned with your mug! I look forward
to sitting under the salt pine tree on the beach and turning a few pages every time we head south. Thanks for that!
Signed,
The man-eating dolphin
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18114
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Quote: Originally posted by Osprey  |
I’m coming of age myself. Last year I took some visitors, friends and family from the states, fishing in my little boat. We saw some marlin that
wouldn’t bite, caught two small tuna. Rays were jumping everywhere. One of the youngsters asked me why the manta rays jumped. I said “Because they
can.”
Later that day my grandson Greg said “Grampa, why don’t we all go down to the beach, go for a swim?”
I said. “Because I don’t have to. Because I don’t want to.”
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Crikey!
Save the children from the crank!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
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Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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I hear you loud and clear, Jorge!
And even when your voice is failing you somewhat, your mind is still working 100%
I am saving your "OLDING" piece for my archives.
It is a classic!
Jana loved it as well!
I'm not too far behind you
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider | | Very nice story. Thanks for posting. I'm 43. Today, my father turns 77. I disagree with him on a lot of things. I'm pretty sure that I'm right.
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Does it matter?
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64746
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Funny Jorge!
I am so glad I was able to do as much as I did before I began to "feel old" and no longer could comfortably hop from boulder to boulder as I had "not
that long ago"!
Why does the brain stay young but the body grow old, I often wonder.
I still want to do so many things, stay out all night, but I am just out of energy sooner than "not that long ago"...
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Udo
Elite Nomad
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For that same reason, my motto has been ..."YOUTH IS WASTED ON THE YOUNG"
We need the energy more than the young do...
| Quote: Originally posted by David K | Funny Jorge!
I am so glad I was able to do as much as I did before I began to "feel old" and no longer could comfortably hop from boulder to boulder as I had "not
that long ago"!
Why does the brain stay young but the body grow old, I often wonder.
I still want to do so many things, stay out all night, but I am just out of energy sooner than "not that long ago"... |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64746
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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It seems they WASTE so much energy on stupid stuff, too!
I think I might be motivated to begin my next book and hope Osprey gets his published soon!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1712
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Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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I'm 57 and enjoying the ability to look at much of my life retrospectively while simultaneously planning for a life beyond the workplace. It's an
interesting crossroads, and one that brought me to both Baja Nomad and the whimsical wisdom (wise whimsy?) of Jorge.
I can see that I've taken the wrong approach when insisting that my grandson stop jumping on the furniture. He tested me, saying "I don't want to."
I'm now looking forward to turning the tables on him with a similar rejoinder of my own.
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
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| Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena | | I can see that I've taken the wrong approach when insisting that my grandson stop jumping on the furniture. He tested me, saying "I don't want to."
I'm now looking forward to turning the tables on him with a similar rejoinder of my own. |
You mean you're start jumping on the furniture ?
Not bad if you can do that at 57.
I've trouble getting off the sofa and putting one foot in front of the other at 80 some.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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In most of our world the aged are more valued than in the US. We may have soliloquies by ourselves but in Mexico they listen to them. Although my
Mexican neighbors tell me that's changing.
As for me, I've thought a fair amount about the blessings of aging. If I were to pick a single age group to stay it would be 6-12. I've decided that
being At the height of the senses and accepting life as it appears without judgement or preconceptions trumps wisdom and understanding.
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