It’s a new year; it’s time to take inventory, to throw out the stuff that doesn\u2019t work. Get an old coot to help with the process; we love to tell you what you\u2019re doing wrong. Start the assessment with how you view your birthday. Is your perspective out of whack? Are you making too big a deal of it? When you were a kid, your birthday was a monumental event; it meant you were old enough to take the next step – start school, get a two-wheeler, drive a car, buy a six-pack (with your very own ID) and vote. Your parents were excited as you reached each new plateau, but it doesn\u2019t matter anymore; nobody cares that it\u2019s your birthday. The fact that all the cards you get are \u201cbelated\u201d should give you a clue; it\u2019s time to let it go.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s another harsh reality; you\u2019re not going to become the leader of the free world! I know your mother said you could grow up to be president, but it ain\u2019t gonna happen. Unless you get your mail at the governor\u2019s mansion in Albany, or the Senate Building in Washington you are out of the running. It\u2019s time to face the truth. And, speaking of faces, yours isn\u2019t getting any better looking – even if you find a \u201cgood\u201d mirror and cock your head at the precise angle to minimize the bump in your nose and the enormity of your ears. Hollywood won\u2019t be beating a path to your door.<\/p>\n
There are a lot of clues that tell you it\u2019s time to change, if you pay attention – Do you greet people with, \u201cHow\u2019s it going?\u201d Have you noticed that this question gets you more than you bargained for? They go on and on about an ingrown toenail or a burned pot roast. While you are bored and not listening, ask yourself, \u201cDo I go on like this too?\u201d If the answer is yes, it\u2019s time to change. When you\u2019re asked how\u2019s it going, simply say, \u201cGreat!\u201d – \u201cThanks for asking.\u201d You won\u2019t bore them and you won\u2019t give them an invitation to bore you.<\/p>\n
Another conversation offense you need to be sensitive to is the, \u201cYou think that\u2019s bad syndrome.\u201d No matter what anyone says to you, you try to top them. They had a tooth filled and it hurt so bad they cried – you had an impacted wisdom tooth pulled and the dentist broke your jaw. Their car gets 30 miles to the gallon – yours can go 100 miles on fumes. If this is the pattern of your conversations, it\u2019s time to SHUT-UP! Don\u2019t take it personally, it\u2019s not just you, a lot of people mistakenly think that everyone is dying to hear how good or how bad you have it. They\u2019re not.<\/p>\n
The saddest example of this syndrome is the young mother-to-be, who finds herself surrounded by a group of veterans who\u2019ve given birth to a legion of children. She mentions the discomfort of her pregnancy; they chuckle and then attack as a pack with an endless stream of delivery nightmares. The poor girl flees in tears, wondering how she ever got herself into such a mess. She goes home and kicks her husband.<\/p>\n
There are a lot of things to throw out. You need to accept yourself for who you are. You won\u2019t be getting any taller, or any thinner. Your hair won\u2019t get thicker and more lustrous. Your physique or figure won\u2019t improve. In fact, you\u2019ll be lucky if it doesn\u2019t slip several inches lower on your skeletal frame by the time you get your first Social Security check. So let it go! Face life as it is and enjoy the journey. It\u2019s the trip of a lifetime! (And, a short one at that.)<\/p>\n
Old Coot books are available at Riverow Bookshop, Owego.<\/p>\n
Comments, complaints can be left at mlessler7@gmail.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It’s a new year; it’s time to take inventory, to throw out the stuff that doesn\u2019t work. Get an old coot to help with the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\n