slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

'How old are you?' ' I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonnabe 16! And then the greatest day of your life! You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50, and your dreams are gone....

But! wait!! ! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 4 0, REACH 50, and make it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that, it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's, and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there.. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'

Then a strange thing happens.. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!' May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG:

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning.. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever, even ham radio. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's family name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. AND, ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. And, if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares? But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each day!! Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally used up and worn out, shouting '...man, what a ride!

There ain’t no return ticket!!!

maureenthannon

I remember, as a teen and twenty something, thinking that life worth living ended at 30. But, I woke up on my 30th birthday, the sun still shined, my loved ones were still with me, life was good, no where near over. I remember my father once told me that he never thought about age, it was just a number, util his 70th birthday, then he said to himself,"I really am old no." Years later I asked him if he had any such thoughts when he turned 80, he said no. My father passed away when he was 89, he had a long, good life, he wasn't rich(as far as money is concerned), but he had his family, his faith, and he enjoyed his life. He had his share of troubles, but attitude is what determines if one is happy or not. When I was a teeager, I saw a movie,"On Golden Pond". One of the leading roles, a woman played by Katherine Hepburn, was a feisty old broad. I decided then that I wanted to be a feisty old broad when I got old. Too many old people act like their already dead. I want to live until I die.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Katherine Hepburn is one of my favorite all-time leading ladies. She had played feisty young broads early in her career.