Okay, we all know getting old is tough sometimes, as Bette Davis said “growing old isn’t for sissies” http://www.sagevita.com/learning/growing-old-isnt-for-sissies/. That quote right there tells you something about getting old because I could have sworn it was Dr. Seuss who said it in his book, You’re Only Old Once, http://www.amazon.com/Youre-Only-Old-Once-Obsolete/dp/0394551907 . But maybe he didn’t. That just goes to show how old I’m getting.
But anyway, it has been documented at least twice that you have got to be a tough old bird to be an alive old bird so I figure, enough’s been said, and much better than I could say it, about how hard it is to be old.
I think it is time someone old like me (67 this year) pointed out the really good things about being old so that all the kids don’t give up before they get here. By kids I mean anyone under the age of 50 which is when AARP sends you an invitation http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/promotions/sem/member01.html?keycode=U8LXS5&packageid=&componentid=&whocalled=promo_enroll&cmp=IVS-KNC-ACQ-PMD-ACQJOIN or 55 when a few grocery stores start giving you a discount on Wednesdays, if you are willing to tell them how old you are http://www.lifecarefunding.com/blog/senior-discounts/. Younger than that and you are still a child to those of a certain age (and who knows what that means because nobody ever says exactly what that certain age is!).
So, Kids, here are some great things to look forward to (besides the afore-mentioned senior discounts):
Parking spaces just for you, marked Senior Citizens Parking, in your church or synagogue lot
An excuse to wear sneakers everyday if you want to
People tell you how beautiful your white hair is and how they would let their gray grow out if only it looked as good as yours does which they claim to know it doesn’t, but since they have been coloring it since they were 16 they really aren’t sure if they have gray hair at all
Your wrinkles illustrate the person you’ve been all your life–this could be good or bad depending–but if you’ve spent the past 60 or so years finding the good and the funny, your laugh lines frame your face and put quotation marks around your sparkling eyes
You don’t have to wonder who your best friends are even if you have a hard time remembering their phone numbers because they are programmed into your cell phone so you just punch their names on your favorites list
You get to volunteer for jobs you couldn’t afford to have a career doing
Nobody gets laid off or downsized from a volunteer job
People who volunteer get thanked
If you find you don’t like your volunteer job, you pick a different one next time
You are happy you can__________________: walk, see, hear, open the pickles—there are a lot of things that can fill in that blank
You only get up to see the sunrise if you want to and then it is really beautiful
Rainy days are better now that you get to get a second cup of coffee and read a good book
Snowy days are better now that you aren’t trying to make your way home from work after the roads have been closed
Finally you have time and energy all in the same place at the same moment
Grandchildren
There are 15 things to look forward to that I know about, Kids, and I am just a beginner at being old. When I get really, really old, say 68, just think how great it will be!
whateverworks 
WordPress somehow deleted the numbers that MSWord had so my list looks like I forgot spaces and punctuation. I don’t remember I have made lists before, but I will be sure I fix the numbers or bullet next time. Sorry if it was confusing.
One big advantage is that if you don’t really want to do something, you can just excuse yourself by saying, “Don’t feel like it. I’m too old.” Magically, you’re off the hook! You don’t even have to believe it.
Agreed! Most of the time this is true. Like wearing heels. Never loved them! I got to the point where I said to my students that they would have to get married or die before they saw me in heels. Now I say they may never see me in heels. In the summer I wear sandals to weddings and funerals. Those look decent with dresses, especially the outdoor ones. I finally realized, if they die, they won’t see me anyway, so they won’t care if I have on heels or not. It is only weddings I have to worry about now. I am searching for some good winter boots!