In many ways, I "feel" at least ten to twenty years younger than my calendar age, and it's because I compare myself to men in my age group and their outlook on life. Many of them are out of shape, out of hope, out of it. They are in despair, moody, complain of aches and pains, seem to have given up on life, and while they're not dead, not actively committing suicide, they aren't really loving either, it's as if they're just going through the motions.
A large part of my perspective comes from the standpoint of physical health (we won't discuss my mental health here, so stop all of that snickering). Not only am I blessed to be free of afflictions, I also stay very active with the primary goal being to stay in great shape. I think I'd be just as down in the frown as other men of my age if I had 20 to 45 more pounds hanging off the front of my belt like a pregnant elephant. I've never been a smoker, I very rarely drink alcohol, and I've never used drugs, so I have a lifelong record of cleanliness as opposed to fighting to overcome a negative past.
I'm not a hipster, I have practically no connection to or knowledge of pop culture anymore, so I don't kid myself that I'm plugged in like a 20-year-old, but at the same time, I'm no hermit either.
Lastly, I don't know if at any time in my life I've ever "felt" a particular age, regardless of it being my actual age at the time or older or younger. It's like when I was five years old, my sixth birthday came along and people asked me that sappy question, "So, Ran-Ran, what does it feel like to be six years old now?" I remember thinking about it for a second and answering, "Nothing." It felt the same as I had ten seconds earlier, ten hours earlier, ten days earlier, ten weeks earlier! (Grown-ups sure can be annoying, right?). I guess it all means that for me, state of mind and state of being either meld perfectly or remain completely separate, I'm not sure which.
Any answer would of necessity be very subjective - where is it written how we are supposed to feel at any given age? Its really all in our heads. I turned 60 a couple of months ago which when I was young I couldn't even imagine it would have seemed so positively ancient. Yet here I am perhaps enjoying life as much as ever and eagerly arising each day excited to see what it holds. In spite of the fact they are all fairly routine! But no longer physically able to do what I could even a few years ago. And when I see how much the world and the country has changed I feel like I must have been around almost forever. Such hatred and selfishness and backbiting and infighting and self-justification that I never grew up with. Or at least certainly was not aware of. We used to respect and help each other where now seems people just to operate out of envy and hatred and belittling and destroying any others who don't happen to agree with them. Too too bad.
I'm 26 and I'd say that's what I feel. I no longer feel like a college kid; my early 20s are over and I'm very aware of it. But I don't yet feel 30 and the age when my parents decided to have me. I'm in between that and it's a good place to be.
Similar to what Randy D said in part of his answer, I've never felt 'any' age. I just "am."
Randy D says it better -- from his answer - -
" Lastly, I don't know if at any time in my life I've ever "felt" a particular age, regardless of it being my actual age at the time or older or younger. "
This post was edited by WelbyQuentin at January 7, 2018 8:59 PM MST
Element 99 