Am I Getting Old?
I was watching the Food Network yesterday afternoon and I was struck with a horrific possibility. I may be getting old. It was bad enough when all of my friends started getting married; surely I wasn't old enough to have friends getting married. Then we started spending time with couples a little older than us who have kids. Now, we hang around couples who are our age and they have one or two kids.
While browsing through the blogs of friends of mine from college, I have noticed that most of them have kids as well. One guy who was in my freshman class has three kids. Something is wrong here- I'm not old enough to have friends with children. Or am I in denial?
Back to the Food Network. The show I was watching had just gone to a commercial break and I noticed that instead of the Dodge, Ford, Chevy, and GMC commercials I am used to while watching ESPN, I was being treated to Fisher Price commercials. I laughed for a second and thought about the target market that these commercials were aimed for. Most likely the majority of people watching cooking shows at 4:00 in the afternoon are stay-at-home moms. I am way too young to be targeted with commercials about children's toys. Right?
I know what you are thinking. Yes, I realize that I am going bald. But that's just genetics, not age. Right?
As a child I always thought of 30 as old. I greet my father (respectfully) with "Hey, old man," to which he usually replies "hey boy." I've called my mother "old lady" on occasion (as long as I was at least an arm's length away). But now I am not that far from 30. Can it be that I am getting old too?
After mulling this over, I have come to a conclusion. I am not old. My receding hairline is premature. My friends are too young to have children. Way too young. Being targeted for Fisher Price commercials was just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In all seriousness, my musings over the last few days about this topic have coincided with a posting from my friend Dave; read his post if you get a chance (link here). My elderly patients tell me often "don't get old, there's no future in it" and "time goes by so fast." I keep busy; working at work, working around the house, spending time with Sarah, hanging out with friends. No matter how busy we are, we can always find time for what is important to us. Am I using my time wisely- "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil"? If I had to give an account today for how I used my time, would I be proud of how I spent my free time?
Are you using your time wisely? Are you putting off thinking about life after death because you don't think it will happen anytime soon? I can assure you that we have no guarantee of another day. Death is a reality for all of us. If you have any questions about eternity, don't assume you have 30-40 more years to get them answered.
I actually didn't intend for this to be a serious post, it just happened that way. Maybe you need to think about some of this things- or maybe I just needed to put it down on "paper" to let it sink in to my thick head some more.
While browsing through the blogs of friends of mine from college, I have noticed that most of them have kids as well. One guy who was in my freshman class has three kids. Something is wrong here- I'm not old enough to have friends with children. Or am I in denial?
Back to the Food Network. The show I was watching had just gone to a commercial break and I noticed that instead of the Dodge, Ford, Chevy, and GMC commercials I am used to while watching ESPN, I was being treated to Fisher Price commercials. I laughed for a second and thought about the target market that these commercials were aimed for. Most likely the majority of people watching cooking shows at 4:00 in the afternoon are stay-at-home moms. I am way too young to be targeted with commercials about children's toys. Right?
I know what you are thinking. Yes, I realize that I am going bald. But that's just genetics, not age. Right?
As a child I always thought of 30 as old. I greet my father (respectfully) with "Hey, old man," to which he usually replies "hey boy." I've called my mother "old lady" on occasion (as long as I was at least an arm's length away). But now I am not that far from 30. Can it be that I am getting old too?
After mulling this over, I have come to a conclusion. I am not old. My receding hairline is premature. My friends are too young to have children. Way too young. Being targeted for Fisher Price commercials was just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In all seriousness, my musings over the last few days about this topic have coincided with a posting from my friend Dave; read his post if you get a chance (link here). My elderly patients tell me often "don't get old, there's no future in it" and "time goes by so fast." I keep busy; working at work, working around the house, spending time with Sarah, hanging out with friends. No matter how busy we are, we can always find time for what is important to us. Am I using my time wisely- "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil"? If I had to give an account today for how I used my time, would I be proud of how I spent my free time?
Are you using your time wisely? Are you putting off thinking about life after death because you don't think it will happen anytime soon? I can assure you that we have no guarantee of another day. Death is a reality for all of us. If you have any questions about eternity, don't assume you have 30-40 more years to get them answered.
I actually didn't intend for this to be a serious post, it just happened that way. Maybe you need to think about some of this things- or maybe I just needed to put it down on "paper" to let it sink in to my thick head some more.
posted by Bobby Wales at
2:52 PM
6 Comments:
Uhm...I resent you calling 30 old...
eh hem..... You are leaving yourself WIDE open!
#1. You are in denial
#2. You're past the point where you can blame your loss of hair on genetics.
#3.I like your question, "Am I using my time wisely?" Hmmm Does that mean you 'might' be needing to provide me with grandchildren? I mean I don't know when my time is up and I really would like grandchildren before I leave this world.... Could it be that you should be training the next generation? What will the world be like if wonderful people like you and Sarah don't train the next generation?????
#4. where's the "respectfully" regarding "calling my mom an old lady" comment? If I thought it was done disrespectfully it wouldn't matter if you were more than an arms length away, "Momma's have a way to always get you" !!!!
#5. Thanks for reminding us of the serious side. We all need to be ready as we can't make it ourselves. God is more than good!
Comments from DAD on your last few blog entries:
"Yup you're getting old. The cheerios thing did happen. It had better be respectfully. Good link on being ready."
- BC
YES!!
Hi Bobby,
We may be getting Older, but we are not OLD! Our friends are to YOUNG to have children!!!! There is nothing wrong with waiting. It is common for women to be in their 40's when they have children now.
Thanks for the reminder; we don't know which day will be our last. I pray that we live each day as it were the last!
I don't know if you remember me from NBBC; we went on extension together with Eric Lee. He used to live where we are in VA, but has moved to Boston for a church plant. His brother and sister-in-law, Amanda Jennings, live here and are great friends of ours!
I'm glad I found your blog. Trust all is well with you and your wife.
Kristin "Smith"
Actually, you're asking the wrong question. You should be wanting to know if you LOOK old, because that's really more important than whether you are or not. And I think you know where you stand there. And incidentally, I heartily support your policy of being respectful to your Mom whenever you're within arms reach.
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