Introduction to old age is not as gradual as one might think. In these current times, we tend to stretch the term "middle age" as far as we possibly can. However, there is one decade where this term loses steam and that is when one arrives in the 7th decade. No longer can we fool ourselves into thinking we are still in the 'middle' of life. (I can only speak for myself, but I don't know anyone who is 140 years old). All of a sudden it hits you and you didn't even see it coming.

Seventy ushers in a decade that is precarious to be certain. It is much like navigating a vessel that, up until recently, was in open waters and now must be guided through narrow passages where it can easily run aground.

I find mornings to be especially challenging. It's much like having to boot up a reluctant computer after it has been shut down. The mainframe, d/b/a the brain, runs diagnostics to make sure all other parts of the body are up and ready and that nothing has malfunctioned or taken a powder during the night. This is where each day can bring new issues to the party. Example: The weather has turned rainy, which in turn has triggered the left side of the body to decide that it will be operating at minimum capacity. Once faced with this challenge you are obliged to haul yourself out of bed, dragging the reluctant left side with you and feeling like Quasimodo in search of a bell tower! Every injury you have incurred over a lifetime comes back to haunt you in this not so gracious decade. The thousand times as a kid you crashed and burned on a skateboard after flying down a giant hill. Or the numerous times you wiped out on a surfboard and landed in the 'boneyard' (coral reef). All the serious and semi-serious incidents you thought you moved on from unscathed.

The body heals quickly in youth, but the brain keeps a mental list, markers if you will, on all these injuries. Once we cross the point of demarcation, the brain begins to activate the various areas of our bodies that took the hits and we ache in parts we didn't know existed. It is the brain's way of paying us back for our youthful exuberance and recklessness.

"Just remember, once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed." Charles Schulz

It is these physical challenges that can be frustrating to deal with, especially if we don't feel like we belong in this dicey decade. Mentally we don't feel old at all. Our minds are still functioning at a reasonable level, i.e. we may forget where we put our keys on occasion, but we know what their function is when we locate them. And, so far, we have not put our cell phones in the freezer. These are all positive signs of cognitive function; small things take on new meaning. Seriously, if our bodies didn't hassle us with aches and pains we wouldn't give the passage of time much thought.

Sadly, there is yet another aspect of aging that one must deal with, and that is the societal perception of seniors that prevails and one that needs to be dispelled. It is the collective idea that because one is of a certain age, one's ability to contribute is diminished. It is yet another form of discrimination.

"Discrimination on the basis of age is as unacceptable as discrimination on the basis of any other aspect of ourselves that we cannot change." Ashton Applewhite

What is the point of increased longevity if aging is perceived universally as negative? There needs to be an upgrade in how society views aging. At the very least, we need to take age on a case-by-case basis; approaching individuals based on who they are and not how old they are. The same way we should approach race, not based on the color of one's skin, but the content of one's character. After all, there is no viable alternative to age, if you continue to live then you will, at some point, be old. This is a good thing to keep in mind when coming in contact with seniors.

In my youth, I found the seniors I came in contact with to be extremely interesting. This was a time when neighbors knew one another and actually visited with each other. I recall one elderly couple that my mother and I visited often, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes. While mother would have coffee with Mrs. Hayes, I would sit with Mr. Hayes as he regaled me with stories of when he was a boy and he ran away to sea. He was from Australia and at the age of twelve, he went to sea as a cabin boy. This simply fascinated me; it conjured up shades of Melville and Robert Louis Stevenson. As a very young boy, he grew up sailing the seas on a massive merchant sailing vessel. He was born sometime in the late 1800s, so by the turn of the century, he was on his own and having an unbelievable adventure. Not an easy life, but he learned a lot along the way. He told me about the Outback in those early days growing up in Australia. He was a real character and had the most exciting stories. I was always happy to visit this dear old gentleman and learn more about that period of time.

Not every senior will have such adventure stories to tell, but for most, there is a wealth of knowledge that they can impart if one is open to engaging them. They can provide a glimpse into a different era and how life was back then.

As for those of us who are currently in or on the threshold of the 7th decade, what can keep us in the flow of life is living in the moment and not allow stagnation to set in. Keeping inertia at bay is the province of an open mind and a curious spirit. Being fully engaged is the tonic one needs to stay mentally alert; that could mean being actively employed, returning to university to study or just simply doing what you love to do. For me, it is taking every opportunity to travel. I have visited several countries in Europe and Southeast Asia and I always feel at my best and most alive when I am traveling. I have a trip planned to Portugal this fall and one in the works for Prague and Budapest. I love meeting new people and experiencing the diversity that comes with world travel.

"The excitement of learning separates you from old age. As long as you're learning, you're not old." Rosalyn S. Yalow

I would like to be thought of as young at heart no matter how old I become; continuing to embrace new ideas and change as an opportunity to grow. Life flows in one direction, forward, and it is a hell of a lot easier to go with it than against.

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to collect my cell phone from the freezer and proceed to pack my bags!!

Bon Voyage