It’s My Birthday!
Today is my birthday.
I share this day with Doris Day, Marlon Brando, Eddie Murphy, and the Apple iPad (among others).
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his prophetic and final “mountaintop” speech on this day in 1968.
President Truman signed the Marshall Plan on this day exactly twenty years earlier.
The infamous “Unabomber” was arrested on this day in 1996.
And on April 3, 1960, I, along with more than 11,000 other babies across the United States, was born.
Which means that today we are ALL turning 65—just as approximately 11,000 Americans have been doing EVERY DAY since 2011—and will continue to do EVERY DAY until 2030.
Did you know that two-thirds of the people who have EVER lived to be 65—IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD—are alive today? (Thank you, Ken Dychtwald for this still-mind-boggling fun fact.)
Another fun fact: people who live to celebrate their 65th birthday—and are in just average health—are likely to live at least another 15 to 20 years.
Invariably, the question many of us get when celebrating (yes, CELEBRATING) this milestone birthday is: “What does it feel like to be 65?”
My answer is . . .
IT FEELS GREAT. And I feel GRATEFUL.
I’m healthy (and thoroughly vaccinated).
I’m earning a living doing something I enjoy.
I’m surrounded by a wonderful family—including both my parents—and a supportive group of friends and colleagues.
I’m looking forward to many new adventures—and traveling to places both near and far.
And, I remain excited about learning new things; in fact, today is the first anniversary of my website, www.agingisliving.org. A website I wrote, designed, and built all by myself (with some wise counsel from my friend and colleague, Jan Golden). A website that, admittedly, is STILL a work-in-progress.
I realize that I am one of the lucky ones.
And I recognize that millions of adults my age and older are, right now, feeling quite vulnerable and worried.
They, like me, see the ill-conceived cuts the federal government is making to the agencies and services older adults and people with disabilities have been relying on for decades now and are wondering,
“Will my Social Security check come on time—or at all—this month?”
“Will I get my Meals-on-Wheels this week?”
“Will there be accessible transportation to help me get to my doctors’ appointments? If not, how will I get there?”
“How long will it take to get in to see a counselor at the VA?”
It really chaps my tush.
To me, government is supposed to protect and serve its citizens—especially our most vulnerable.
Which is why, in the midst of my gratitude, I am aware of how fragile life can be. Not so much its length. But definitely its quality.
And so, when I blow out my candles this year, I will wish for a swift return to a saner, more caring world.
And, recognizing that wishes alone won’t create meaningful change, I will recommit myself to working alongside other like-minded people to achieve it.
#agingisliving
Image credit: Jfanchin, Getty/iStock