As a joint force people of any age can change the world

Being 66, in good physical and mental condition, at least as per my own judgment, I never, think about age being any impediment towards anything I might wish to do. This is regardless of the fact that I am a bit deaf, from all that lovely rock & roll music I enjoyed over the years and even now. In fact, sometimes bad hearing can also be a blessing when you really do not want to hear what others have to say. My eye sights also is not what it used to be, and that is a bit more heart wrenching, as it has resulted in my giving up driving a car, which always gave me a sense of freedom. I dress the way I want all though lately I try to be a bit more conservative when in the company of others. They may not wish to glimpse part of a somewhat wrinkled breast, peaking our of a low cut summer top. I have a good body again I would not wish to put on a bikini, but otherwise it pretty much has held its shape. And I am extremely fortunate of having enjoyed so far a fairly amazing, exciting and challenging life. I am far from rich, monetarily that is, but have been able to hold my own through trials and tribulations. But what I do have I will never give up and that is a sense that life is to be lived to the fullest. And that means using my brain to the fullest, never taking whatever is said at its value and always trying to improve things for myself and others.


On a social level, facing invisibility by the rest of the world, which happens to specifically women over the age of 50, does not bother me much. I can count the number of friends I have on the fingers of one hand. In the private part of my life I more or less do what I want with whom I want and in whatever way I like. I am certainly never lonely, all though sometimes a bit bored. My personal social life is fairly limited, both due to a lack of funds and the fact that most people I come in contact with, one might say are going a different direction and consequently there is not much to talk about. However in the framework of business, I literally meet hundreds of people, who probably never realize what a solitary person I am.

I find myself, in most cases still to be a foreigner, having entered the US some forty years ago. More often than not, because I have an accent, all though I speak English fluently, people ask me what country I came from. It is kind of strange in this land of ours that includes so many people from all over the world, that these questions are still asked. Does it really matter? Of course, not having been born here or having gone to school here, ones misses an important part of life in America, the connections one makes through attending school, being married to an American, makes one more an integral part of American life. This particular fact becomes more definitive when one becomes older, as cultural behaviors learned at an early age, become more prominent and your sense of wanting to belong is more directed to those you left behind in your country of birth.

Add to this sense of separation the fact there is a general consensus that unless you are a well known actress actor or a football player, when you reach the age of fifty, you are slowly using your marbles, including whatever brainpower or experience you possessed, and invisibility becomes part of your life, whether you like it or not.

Taking into account that first impressions are a very important part of life in America, you are immediately categorized of not being important enough for a secondary evaluation. Has anyone ever considered that this particular evaluation has to be contrary to factual information? Are we no longer physically attractive, because we carry a wrinkle, here and there on our bodies as well as our souls? After years of taking care of men, children, family and friends, are we less energetic or less powerful in all of our communication. When and how did experience in all of life’s activities become a burden rather than an asset?

What is there to be gained from this kind of behavior? Does it dawn on any one in this group, the power that lies within humans from different age groups to jointly face the new global world, rather than make this a domain of only younger people?

If one looks at the indigenous populations of the world, who are the most powerful people in the family, aren’t they older people? And this is not even a women issue only the same happens to men. Why do the young techies in today’s world think they own the world? Don’t they realize that without actual human communication and input we are lost? The genius of mankind can never be found in technology, but rather in the brains and actions of human beings.

The positive thrilling part of mature life is the fact that there is literally a network of support out there made up out of other mature people. Whenever I am stopped by something that is difficult to achieve by myself, I look around for another similarly aged person and know that help is on the way. Just think what an incredible force that could be if we really wanted to change something.

For example, trying to trace a very important package in a town where I was totally unfamiliar, a postal worker of a similar age to mine, took charge and spent at least an hour on my behalf finding my lost package. In my present position of leading tours, I find women getting a kick out of watching me and feeling good that someone their age is taking care of them. The reality is that bound together we are an awesome force, not only for our own generation but one to reckon with when things really do fall apart.

So let the fact, that you are part of a great generation, spur you on to accomplish great things. Find pride in yourself and from that point, charge ahead to bind yourself with others and create and accomplish your own goals. If you feel shaky, sit down and marvel at all the things you have accomplished, whether at home or professionally. Get fit, get healthy, take care of yourself, and know that you can create whatever it is you aim for. You are after all created to accomplish great things on this earth.