Me, Sooner Than I Think

I came across this Pickles cartoon the other day, and I had to laugh—mostly because it hit way too close to home. It’s that classic scene: the wife waiting in the car, growing more impatient by the second, convinced her husband’s wandered off, forgotten her, or joined a social club in aisle seven. Meanwhile, he’s probably sitting at home wondering where she went. Honestly, I’ve lived this exact scenario more than once—just swap the characters around depending on the day.

It also got me thinking about how our perspective on age changes as we go along. I remember when I used to think twenty was old. Back then, anyone with a full-time job and their own car seemed ancient. Then thirty rolled around and I thought, “Well, okay, maybe this is what old feels like.” Then came forty, and I decided that was officially “over the hill.” Spoiler alert—it wasn’t. The hill keeps moving, and I’m pretty sure it’s now somewhere past eighty and still climbing.

Funny how that works, isn’t it? The older we get, the more we realize that age isn’t really about numbers—it’s about energy, humor, and how much you still enjoy life (and how fast you can find your glasses). Sure, there are days when I forget what I walked into the kitchen for, or why I’m standing in front of the washing machine holding a TV remote—but if I can still laugh about it, I figure I’m doing just fine.

So when I saw this cartoon, I didn’t just chuckle—I felt seen. Growing older comes with its quirks, but it also comes with wisdom, patience (well, some patience), and a whole lot of stories worth retelling.

I guess when I’m eighty, I’ll probably look back and think, “You know, eighty’s not that old after all.” And I’ll probably still be waiting in the car, muttering, “What’s keeping him?”

(Double click on the image to enlarge)

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©2009 Sandy Davis | American Way Farm