Does Adversity Make You Older?

The other day Amy had to remind me that we're just 34, turning 35 this fall. I was saying, "That's crazy because most days I feel like I'm 44."

One of the doctors at Children's hospital (a couple months back) was explaining (yes, we talked about some pretty random things) how the age-group oncology parents can often best relate to (and at certain levels, of course) are those in their 70 because it's not really until that age where mortality becomes a predominant thought. The never-ending "life line" of one's 20's and 30's becomes a very finite line by one's 70's.

And, she was saying, all the revelations, liberations, and frustrations that people often acquire at that age are acquired much earlier when you're raising a child with a not-so-good outlook.

And it can be quite difficult to relate to people your age when they haven't contemplated the same things you're being forced to contemplate.

All that resonated with me.

So why am I writing this?

Because last night I freaked out because last weekend my brother-in-law and I took the kids to an air show, and we were both laughing at how his movie-character alter-ego is Maverick (I forget who mine was). So last night I found a few seconds to see what movies the Top Gun babe might be starring in these days, and ... well ... I was expecting Kelly McGillis to look a little more like she did in Top Gun.

While I don't think the picture and physical aging has anything to do with what I'm talking about, I started freaking that maybe they go hand in hand!  If I feel 44 at 34, will I feel (and maybe look) 62 at 52 ... kind of like Kelly McGillis does? LOL.

Anyway, the real point is that I think some wonderful insights can come from facing the stone-cold reality that we're all going to die. I really think our culture sucks at thinking about death and the finiteness of life. I think doing so makes one want to do good things because the more you think about it the more you realize that much of what you think matters totally doesn't. From other people's opinions to certain stories on the news to you name it, things become much, much clearer.