There’s something that happens to many of us as we grow older. We gain a sense of self. By that I mean we at last understand and accept that we are who we are. We stop worrying about what others think, whether we should do something or not because it’s “expected” or “what everyone else does.”
Along with this comes attitude: You don’t like what I’m doing? You think I dress like a dowdy old lady? Fart like a trucker? Have a mouth that would make a sailor blush?
Don’t. Care.
You heard me. At a certain point in life we realize that the only person we will have to get along with for the rest of our days is ourself. If you can’t get along with others you can always move on. If you can’t get along with yourself, there are serious issues and you probably need to discuss that with a professional.
That doesn’t mean you get to become a snarky old lady, or stand in your doorway wagging a finger at the young ‘uns, or spend family dinners bitching about how the world has gone to hell in a handbasket and wishing for the good old days.
We all need to give ourselves a little grace, and I think the older one gets, the easier that can be.
By the time you’re sixty, or fifty–maybe even forty–you’ve experienced a lot. Maybe you’ve even learned from those experiences, and you wish you knew then what you know now. I think that gives us a certain amount of wisdom that can only come with age. Yes, things are different now. Not better. Not worse. Different. What worked in 1970 probably won’t have the same effect in 2020. But that doesn’t change my belief that I have some good advice to share with my children and grandchildren. Little nuggets of truth to guide them in their life travels. On my best days I consider myself a wise elder to whom others come for sage advice.
I can hear them now… “Okay, Boomer” *eyeroll*
Maybe I’m just another old fogey.
Susannah Willey Writes 
But, you’re my old fogey.
LikeLike