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Aging all mind over matter

NANAIMO: Re: Getting old blues a sad song to sing, Reporter’s Viewpoint, Nov. 6.

To the Editor,

Re: Getting old blues a sad song to sing, Reporter’s Viewpoint, Nov. 6.

I enjoyed, and agreed, with Chris Bush’s viewpoint. He nailed a few realities on both physical and non.

I am 62, and in not ‘bad’ shape (what an oxymoron – bad to infer good). However, as Bush points out, I am older – not old – but for sure, not young.

Older really does emphasize the wise old saying, “Youth is wasted on the young,” and I was a conservative youth, a ‘good’ citizen if you will.

I am not complaining. My life is good, very good, in so many areas.

But, I am not young. I cannot ignore my body as I did when it was young and it basically took care of itself or, as Bush wrote, my “...young fat cells lacked experience,” and so, even though it was not designed to fly, it went ahead and did fly.

I need to be aware – constantly – of my body. I need to do so much every day, to take care of my body. It is a full-time job.

And yes, too, like Bush, convince myself daily that “I’ve never felt better in my life.” It is more mental now than physical (especially when I look in the mirror).

So thank you for a thoughtful and realistic – but sensitive – commentary on that time in our lives between the dawn and darkness when the best is gone, and the worst is next.

So enjoy this ‘in between’ time while you can, for as long as you can because the darkness is ahead.

I so hope I, “Go not gently in to that dark night,” but instead have the courage to give it the finger.

Matthew M. Stevenson,

Coquitlam