Most people are fascinated by their age as if it makes any difference in their lives. Some people are very intimidated by getting older and struggle against it.
Sometimes, I get a call from a scammer who asks me how old I am. I respond, “I’m not sure how old I am because every year my age changes.” Then I hear the infamous “click.”
If I tried to live my life as though I were 20, I’d get into a lot of trouble, especially with wife Martha, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She is one of those reality people.
I don’t disagree with her, but I often get in conflict with her by not acting my age.
I might be doing something rather silly, and she’ll catch me. Then, with both hands on her hips, she’ll say, “Why don’t you just act your age?”
I’ve wanted to respond a few times and ask her if she was acting her age, but my love of life keeps me from doing stupid things like that.
I tried to tell her that I’m really not old, just young and challenged.
One morning, I got up and said to myself, “Today, I’m 20, and I’m going to act like a 20year-old.”
I’d worn myself out so badly by lunch that I didn’t know if I would continue the day. I forgot how active I was at 20. I forgot that when I walked, I was halfrunning. I forgot when I ate, I ate like a starving chimpanzee.
I don’t want to be young again. So what if I’m youth challenged?
When I was young, I acted my age and got into some trouble I won’t discuss. But those days are long gone, and now I’m going to try to act like I’m an old geezer.
I’ve found I’m a superb actor in this category. If there was an Emmy Award for acting like an old geezer, I’d win hands down.
My wife and I were discussing this, and she said, “I remember what you were like when you were 20, and it would be good for you to act like you were 20 again.”
With a little smirk on my face, I looked at her and said, “I’ll act 20 if you also act 20. Because a 20-year-old doesn’t date an old geezer.”
It’s been a long time since I heard my wife ask me if I was going to act my age. I’m glad because I’m not a very good actor.
I also have a hard time acting my age. How do you practice to act a certain age so that by the time you’re done practicing, you’re older?
It doesn’t matter how old you are or that you have to act a certain age; it’s really living today with today’s understanding.
I was reminded by this of what Solomon said in Proverbs.
“The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.”
— Proverbs 20: 29
I never understood this until one day I looked in my mirror and saw I had grey hair. I never thought my hair would get grey, but there it was. And the mirror doesn’t lie, Martha says.
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected]
