Thoughts on Age

The other day I went to a discussion group organised by Age UK, (they used to be called Age Concern but have amalgamated), it was just 8 people all over 60, meeting to talk about whatever they wanted.

A couple of things struck me, first of all, I initially felt that somehow I was in the wrong place, that is I didn't feel old enough to be at an Age Concern meeting. Not that they weren't welcoming although as you might expect, if the only thing you have in common is age then you ought to expect a wide variety and diversity of people.

Age is I think one of the dimensions that people are defined by, and perhaps as all present had retired, some for quite a while, the other usual label of the 'job' is less and less relevant. I found that I was still describing myself by what I had been and what I was doing, now in a voluntary capacity, some of the others also used this taxonomy but noticeably others did not. Maybe as you move further away from that working life you need to redefine yourself in different ways, but can you ever really separate yourself from your history ?

In fact however I enjoyed the session and will go again, as we got involved in discussing a variety of topics, people became people and you started to gain impressions about them. Some of the views expressed were perhaps a little odd or maybe extreme, some of the arguments were, perhaps for my taste, more emotional and reactive, than logical or analytical. One gentleman seemed to be playing the eccentric old man, or maybe that was how he really was !

What it did show, I believe, that the differences between us were not really age, we had some sharing of life experiences but the attraction was in the debate, which may not have been very different if it had involved younger people as well but could have been quite different with different people. I think that makes sense, if it doesn't blame it on my age !

The lesson, if there is one, is to be open minded.

The trip out however raised another dimension of age. I went on the bus, or rather two buses. Despite having a car, I was attracted by the fact that I now have the free bus pass (after 9:30 am) and therefore the journey was cost free, whereas the car would have cost me in parking as well as fuel. It wasn't that I couldn't afford it, rather the lure of 'free' made me trade convenience, comfort and time, the buses, with waiting and changes took nearly 1.5 hours, as opposed to 30 minutes and I still had to drive a short distance to get the bus in the first place! But then I had the time to spare and in fact went earlier and had lunch at a City bar, so probably spent more money anyway !

Maybe that's a sign of older age, time is less of a restriction than before, add the perhaps unstated belief that I had 'earned the right' for free travel and I make not entirely logical decisions................but then I am 'old' so no one expects me to be logical and sensible !