d ROBERT’ S WORLD
Aging Is Just a State of Mind
BY ROBERT SMYTH
Now that I’ ve turned 60, the main thing that’ s changing is my outlook.
I
’ ve noticed several changes in myself now that I’ ve passed the 60-year-old mark, and they’ ve led me to some conclusions. Perusing the ye olde web recently, I found this tidbit on aging:“ Some changes in thinking are common as people get older. For example, older adults may be slower to find words and recall names, have problems with multitasking, and experience mild decreases in the ability to pay attention.”
The part in the quote about us being slower to find words is absolutely real, but I think it has to do with the fact that most of the things we’ d want to comment on are just mind-boggling. Honestly, a lot of the words that do come to mind shouldn’ t be used in polite company. Just look at any news website these days and you’ ll fully understand what I mean.
In terms of older adults having problems multitasking, once again, it’ s perception. It’ s not that we can’ t multitask, but rather the fact that a lot of what we’ re supposed to be doing is stupid and pointless. Stuff like filing paperwork that’ s never to be seen again and having meetings about when we’ re meeting next to talk about the next meeting. Or putting that appointment on umpteen different calendars so everyone can know how busy we are. There are statistics out there that show that people waste about two hours per day on nonessential tasks and distractions, which amounts to around one month per year. Just so you understand, when you get to be my age, every month counts, so excuse me if I’ m not multitasking my life away.
Lastly, in terms of the statement that it gets harder to pay attention as we age, I think the reality
As we age, the things we used to pursue as being important have taken a back seat to the things that actually are important.
is that we’ re just less interested in what’ s being said, because what’ s being said is something we’ ve already heard, seen, or experienced before.
I realize, of course, how grouchy I sound, which is an attribute often associated with getting older. I prefer to see it, though, not as someone who’ s starting to throw in the towel, but rather someone focusing on new priorities. As we age, the things we used to pursue as being important have taken a back seat to the things that actually are important. Chasing a bigger house, nicer cars, and pocketfuls of cash have been replaced by the appreciation of having a roof over our heads and manageable debt, with time left over to experience and enjoy what’ s happening in our friends’ and families’ lives.
The young ideal of immortality in name and conquests is replaced by just trying your best and being there for the people in your life who matter most. Here in the U. S., less than 1 % percent of the companies in business are over 100 years old. In 200 years, how many of those firms will be gone? And what about all the people who worked there? And what about the people who did great works for their family? I bet their stories get told through the generations and the good they did grows. I think, in the end, that’ s what I’ m worried about when it comes to aging. Will my story be told through the generations, or when I go, does my story end there? Also, where are my keys? I had them a second ago. I guess some of the things on the“ when you get old” list might be closer than I think.
38 | NW GEORGIA LIVING MARCH / APRIL 2026