So why does it feel that, the very moment you turn 59, those seconds just seem to fly by, accelerating towards a milestone that, in all honesty, most people simply refuse to talk about
Except, of course, the people who know you and love, because that’s all they want to talk about!
There’s something about hitting 60 that is so defining, so different from other ‘big days’.
Reaching 30 – that’s a ‘rite of passage’ moment. I’ve made it through puberty and the onset of adulthood. I’m good to go.
Reaching 40 – a moment’s reflection, a glance over the shoulder, but a powerful statement of maturity. Half-way there (statistically!) but just a whiff of doubt – have I had all the good stuff there is, or is the best still to come?
Reaching 50 – I am what I am, like it or lump it but I’ve spent 5 decades crafting it, and I bear the scars. The kids have grown-up, but not necessarily grown out, and I have time and space to fill – the prospects are exciting and scary in equal measure.
Reaching 60 – Christ! Where did all this baggage come from? The Bus Pass/Rail Pass jokes, the regular check-ups, the mandatory flu jabs – Oh! And the face in the mirror? What happened to the person that has populated your inner thoughts? To the person that friends, family and colleagues used to refer to and rely on? To the person that some people call Gramps or Nana? I’m trying to be positive, but if I say “60 is the new 50” to myself one more time, I’ll have to do a second press-up.
At this point, I wanted to go through a few of my top 10 lists. Top 10 albums. Top 10 films. Top 10 places I’ve visited. Top 10 most influential people. But when I wrote them down I thought, nah, quite a few people will never have heard of many of the bands or actors or moments that have helped to shape my personal high points. They are moments best kept in another time, or as most would say, to yourself.
So, instead of a compendium of drivel, I’ll leave you with just a few thoughts about the approaching milestone.
“If I had to live again I would do exactly the same thing. Of course I have regrets, but if you are 60 years old and you have no regrets then you haven't lived.”
“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”
“Be kind to your kids, they'll choose your nursing home one day.”
“For all the advances in medicine, there is still no cure for the common birthday.”
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