The Sunset Of Life

I am at the stage of life where I spend most of my time trying to keep the list of things I can do longer than the list of things I can't. And let me tell you, it requires a lot more maintenance than it used to -- walking on a treadmill, taking my various pills and reading all those nutrition facts printed in that tiny type on packaged food.

Which got me to wondering, is there anything positive about becoming more mature, as it were? And in fact, I've decided there is.

Growing older reduces the number of things we need to worry about. For example, which brand of motorcycle is most likely to be stolen? I heard on the radio there's a new study about that, but I no longer need to know the answer. Nor do I need to know how old Britney Spears really is or whether she's had some work done.

I no longer need to worry about whether tattoos are safe, or the best place to get body parts pierced, or to find low-rider blue jeans, or whatever happened to Monica Lewinsky, or whether Bill Clinton wore boxers, briefs or jammies with feet on them. Actually, I never wondered about that, but I no longer need to worry about those who did.

No, moving toward the sunset of life brings a certain clarity, a winnowing out of what's important and what isn't. Probably the most important thing is finally realizing we no longer have to worry about being cool. Of course we do have to worry about our kids having us frozen.