Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
OP, you're 40 or so? That's when many start to notice old injuries hurting again, strange aches and pains and that one doesn't heal quite as fast as in the past.
I will be honest, this irritates me a lot. Maybe because I don't like to be reminded (because I am getting older, I'm in my 40s). But also because usually people say this to be about things that have nothing to do at all with getting older. And it's always people about 20-30 years older than me that say this (not younger people and not people older than about that 30 years older mark either). It's what I would call my parent's generation that says these things.
I bring this up because, just today while I was at work, I was limping in the office and a coworker asked me why I was walking funny. I said, "my foot hurts" and she said, "welcome to getting old!" With a huge smile on her face. I explained that it hurt because the fire door in the parking garage closed suddenly and smashed it. Then she said it closed quickly on her too and said she'd call the management company for our office. But her first response to me limping is because I am "old."
That's just one example, I've had her and other older coworkers say this to me about everything from having a cold to having a restless night's sleep and looking tied the next day. My mom is guilty of this too. When I turned 40 she suddenly became concerned I was going to drop dead of a heart attack citing, "you're getting old!" (even though I have yearly physical, had and still have no history of heart issues and am pretty much in perfect health, with a good diet and am at and a healthy weight).
My mom has always been a worrier, so I chalk this up to her latest thing to worry about. With coworkers, I get the impression they think they are being funny but it falls flat when it comes to me. It's usually the chipper, friendly people who say stuff like this to me. Since they are generally nice most of the time, I let is pass even if I find it annoying (I also wondered if this is just my own personal hangup and maybe other people do get a laugh out of being called old). Plus, it really doesn't happen all that much since I try to avoid talking about how I feel at work. It's just when it comes up, like today, it bothers me.
I would like to hear some opinions on why you think people say these kinds of things (or if you are a person who says to others they are getting old, why do you say these things)?
I agree with you, it's a really silly thing to say. 40 is not old, for one thing. We have such a youth-worshiping culture.
When I was 30 I got fibromyalgia and had a lot of mysterious pains. I went to all kinds of doctors, and most of them said it was just old age! I was 30!
As you said, almost any ailment is now blamed on age. Yes, some things can get more likely with age, but most of the things blamed on age have nothing to do with it.
Most older Americans have unhealthy lifestyles, so their ailments are from having an unhealthy lifestyle for a long time. Not simply from being old.
And the joy these people are radiating as they say you're are getting old is so annoying. I do sometimes feel like reminding young people they will get old, when they seem contemptuous or condescending towards me because I am old. But I don't. And I would never think of saying it as a joke.
One of my grandmothers used to frequently say "Don't get old." Well that was real helpful advice.
All of us are constantly aware of how time works, and where it is leading us. We are the worrying animal. No one really needs a reminder.
Getting old is a nasty surprise for everybody who does it. I'm just getting started... and I can see how this works. You don't just die when you're 80 years old... if only that were the case.
You start dying one piece at a time when you hit middle age. Maybe that starts at 30. Maybe it starts at 50. For me it started at 35. You die just a little bit at a time until you're truly old, and then you WANT to die the rest of the way.
That last part is conjecture... I haven't done that yet. But that's my best guess.
Getting old is a nasty surprise for everybody who does it. I'm just getting started... and I can see how this works. You don't just die when you're 80 years old... if only that were the case.
You start dying one piece at a time when you hit middle age. Maybe that starts at 30. Maybe it starts at 50. For me it started at 35. You die just a little bit at a time until you're truly old, and then you WANT to die the rest of the way.
That last part is conjecture... I haven't done that yet. But that's my best guess.
Merica!
That is not true for everyone. It depends partly on luck and partly on lifestyle. I think lifestyle is extremely important, and most Americans know nothing about it.
Well, you do get more irritable as you get older. Welcome to...oops.
Okay, now I'm crying from laughing so hard!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
