David Vance SubstackRead More
I am a year older today. I am 66.
Yet in some ways, I don’t see it. I mostly don’t feel it. They say that age is just a number and I am proof of that. Mostly. But not always.
Of course with advancing age there are some physical limitations and flexibility isn’t quite what is used to be! But I swim three days a week and am careful with my diet and moderate what I drink to give me the best chance of staying well. I am very health conscious but believe in nature’s bounty, not big Pharma slop. So I say away from the things that are prescribed for those my age. Over the past decade my suspicions about GP care have turned into full on revolt. Yes, if I broke my arm, for example, I would go to a hospital but mostly I hope to never darken the interior of such again!
Perspective changes as you age. I am less rushed than I used to be and try to take my time. I think things through much more and I am able to see different perspectives. The people we meet on a daily basis all have their own struggles in their own lives so trying to be kind is a good thing, if at all possible. That said, people being morons do not get a pass, more a growl.
You learn to appreciate the things you have, material and otherwise. One of my greatest comforts at this age is silence. I like it. It empowers me. When I write here on Substack, I sit in my study in total silence. Noise distracts me.
Although I am not morbid, I also think about death. My father died when he was 78 so that causes me to reflect on the time I have left. How can I best spend it? Well, I have my family, my kids, my grandkids, my dog, my friends and of course you, dear reader. At this point in life I can spend more time writing, recording and asserting my opinions for what they are worth. I don’t think I have mellowed politically but I choose to express my views in different ways. Sometimes it is raw, other times a bit more nuanced but it is always from the heart.
I liked this quote on age;
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” George Bernard Shaw
So I will raise a glass this evening, laugh at the absurdity of life, and remember that I am blessed by God to have this time with you all.
Thanks for being here!
