If you zoom in really close on the above photo of me (I'm not recommending this), you'll see my gray hair. I didn't have any grays at all until I became a head of the English Department at my school. Now, I have plenty of them. I am not surprised by gray hair, as I have always known that older people's hair often grays and/or falls out. There are, however, lots of other changes I didn't expect. I'll talk about them in no particular order.
Maybe you've heard the expression "long in the tooth," as I have. If you haven't, it means older. I thought it was about horses (with the corresponding, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"), and it might be. But it's also true that as I've gotten older, my gums are shrinking or receding, so my teeth appear longer. So what, right? Long teeth wouldn't be a big deal at all except that now, food gets caught between my teeth. I really didn't see this coming. Now, I squirrel away toothpicks and understand why so many people use those little trebuchet-shaped flossers all over the place. (That said, I absolutely do not understand why the people who use them think it's okay to litter them. Come on, people!)
I fully expected my vision to go sideways as I got older (because they warned me about that when I got LASIK), and I do now have to wear reading glasses. I didn't expect sound to transform as well. Volume has become problematic for me. When I go to movies, the music is too loud and the talking too quiet. People's words, even when they're loud enough, seem garbled more often. The window of what feels like acceptable decibels and clear elocution is so narrow I could barely thread it. I need subtitles on everything I watch on screens but still hate dining in restaurants with live music and/or too much chatter. If I'm not careful to check my instincts, I'm going to turn into that old person waving her fist in the air screaming, "You noisy kids, keep it down over there," while at the same time asking them to speak up so that I can hear them.
I used to laugh at the idea that a person could tweak a muscle while sleeping soundly in a comfortable bed. Not any more. I've strained muscles while sweeping a room (not vigorously, if you've seen my house, you can attest), reaching for a phone, and basically standing still. I exercise every day, so how's this fair?
For those of you who are young, you've got these joys to look forward to. If you're older than I am, what else is coming my way? Or maybe I don't want to know. Do I? Share any responses in the comments.
I feel so seen! Even without reading glasses! All of this is so on target and human.
I also anticipated that you would reflect on the many amazing gifts of aging as a human and an educator — not caring anymore what people think about our appearance, the wisdom and joy and wonder of watching hundreds of adults we have helped to shape. And embracing the healthy and wonderful days as a real gift.
Oh, how did I forget to write the plus sides?! Maybe I’ll do a Why Getting Older Isn’t What I Expected 2.0…or better yet, do you want to write a guest post?
Plus one for feeling seen and plus one for the great suggestion to do a post on the positives, please!
Maybe you and Launa and I can co-write the positives one!
I found reading glasses quite humbling.
I do, too, but I like them better than having to use my flashlight all the time.