Ageing

[poliphilo]

I don't think one should fight the ageing process- at least not the way some people do, with creams and surgery and all that.

There's no dignity in the look the aged-but-surgically-interfered-with have-  that tight and shiny look.

Michael Douglas for instance. 

Maybe one of these days they'll perfect the techniques and people of seventy really will look like people of twenty, but as things stand those spruced-up oldsters just look weird.

Like they're wearing prosthetics or something. Not quite real, not quite human.

Wrinkles can be beautiful. 

Actually, I think there's a moral dimension to it. People who've lived a horrible life end up as ugly old people and people who've lived good lives end up as beautiful old people. 

What they told us when we were kids about not frowning because the wind might blow on us and we'd get fixed that way comes true in the end. 

Of course one should fight against mental torpor. That's the real ugliness. The carping, grouchy, closed-up attitude some old people get stuck with gives old age a bad name.

I watch myself ageing. Inside and out. My body changing, my attitudes changing. 

I accept it as part of the deal.

I find it interesting.

Comments

[manfalling.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity- do you take much exercise dad? Ever considered going down the gym with Joe? You might hurt for a while, but also might in the end end up with more energy to go around and an all-round better more resilient body. You're not past the age where you can still effectively build muscle, I'd wager.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Ah, Mike- I have a history with gyms that goes right back to childhood (don't these things always?) I've always hated them- and hated organised exercise. I don't know why exactly, but it's probably a karmic thing. Maybe in some earlier life I fell off a climbing rope and knocked out my brains or something...

[manfalling.livejournal.com]

I suppose I fairly knew that. You're not an especially active muscle type guy. But- like other things from childhood- isn't it time to do away with the stigma you have attached to that? It could be like discovering this whole other side to life, and your body, and an awareness of how things work, and added vitality, and so on.

And you wouldn't even have to go to the gym to do it. One barbell and a few weights and you can hit just about every muscle in the body in the comfort of your own home.

I was never a gym guy either. For sure- I found the place intimidating. I wasn't 'in' with any crowd that did it, so I had no place being there. But- that was then, this is now.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to try (well, much, anyway). And the gains could be massive, not only in health and fitness and energy levels, but also in self-esteem and sense of accomplishment and well-being. For sure you may have all that already- but then imagine throwing in yet another layer of goodness- wouldn't that just rock?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You're right of course.

We do own barbells and exercise machines. I went through a phase where I was pedalling every evening while watching the Channel 4 news. I ought to get back to that.