by Carmel Brulez

Created on: November 01, 2009   Last Updated: November 03, 2009

HUMOR: THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH GROWING OLD

When I saw this title I scratched my head in wonderment as I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone could think there are any problems associated with growing old. The concept is ridiculous. As babies we rely on our parents or others to look after us, and this can be a massive problem if they do not look after us properly. We are totally at their mercy and maybe left to cry and lay there hungry for days. As kids we could be shouted at and beaten by an unloving carer, as teenagers we are not shown wisdom or values so we end up with problems.

Growing old does not have any problems associated with it. By the time you are elderly you have had plenty of years which you could have spent productively working and earning money to pay for a lovely house or lifestyle. You are not at the mercy of your parents or others, everything is down to you. You decide whether to get married, have kids and so on.

So, what is all this rubbish about problems associated with growing old? Being old is great and has no problems at all. Only yesterday I was talking about this with my daughter who came to visit me. I forget she was coming so I was out when she arrived. But it was very nice of her to come. She got quite irritable with me saying that every time she arranges to come I am out when she gets here. Oh well, it is hardly my fault if I have a terrible memory now. Then she had to arrange to come back to take me to the optician about my new glasses as I can barely read or see where I am going with these. I did my best to hear what she was going on about but my hearing is not what it used to be. We went for a walk, well she walked and I was in my wheelchair, and it was a lovely sunny day.

And I said to her "Julie", oh hang on I might have said "Sheila" as I confuse her with her sister sometimes, "they have a title on the Helium site about the problems associated with growing old. How ridiculous is that?"

"Yes" she said as she gave me my medicine and ran my bath for me. I think she is coming back again next week, or it might be the other one, Julie or whatever her name is. But if I see any more titles claiming that people have problems associated with becoming elderly I will scream.

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