THE WINTER OF LIFE IS NOT FOR SISSIES. What do you see?

Aging is indeed, not for Sissie’s. It is hard work for many reasons. Aging brings with it so many challenges but the one I am focusing on now is what we see, and what others see. Sometimes when I look into the mirror I see reality, an aging overweight, wrinkled woman--that is the reality: but other times I see the browned eyed, twenty-five year old person I used to see in the mirror. who danced to hard rock doing housework and walked in the rain. You see, they both live inside me. People are so much more than what you physically see, they are experiences, years of laughter, tears, and toil as well. My children and Grandchildren know me in those roles and yet I seriously doubt they that know the person who makes those roles happen. they see what they see, and experience: and yet, this is only a small part of the person I am. This is not a bad thing, it is life. We don't probably know our children as people too well either. I don't know their daily routines, little irritations, small pleasures unless I am there. I think we, perhaps just me, define others by what we see and experience. This is what makes sense. I started sharing a few stories about my childhood with my Grandsons, do they read them? I hope so but sharing some of these bits of our lives opens windows to the person we see in the mirror. A difficult part of aging is that we become increasingly invisible as we age. You know you have reached this point when people seem to glance past you instead of looking at you, speak loudly because they assume you can’t hear, tsk in annoyance when you walk too slowly, start calling you dear and other words that are too personal, but seem appropriate when talking to an old person? I can't say i understand but it is annoying and insulting. How do I see younger people? It only fair to share this am I looking at younger people the way I wish to be seen, as a person of many facets or am I steroty0ing them as I often feel I am? along with aging is the difficult task of seeing younger people as people too. when I see a person with red or green hair, I think wow I wish I had, had the courage to do something like that, or remember another time when I didn't take a risk. I know I can't understand the struggles they have had with Covid disrupting their lives, we never experienced that. Today young people practice mass shooting drills, we got under our desks for nuclear bomb scares. Neither seems to have a real escape but I personally feel the world is scarier today. The way people dress at any age, is individual and I admit I have a difficult time not judging by appearance, but I do like wild hair, colors but modesty is also something I advocate. (I did wear hot pants, and minis but more seemed to be covered). The hard work of Living is really seeing our world and others in a real way. We are supposed to Love One Another and I firmly believe God created all of us to live in this world. My job is perhaps to look and others and see them as I see myself in that mirror, many people, many faces, and sum total of all those years. Aging is not for Sissies, but neither is Living.