This Is 67: Responding to the Oldster Magazine Questionnaire
And how lucky I am to watch the cosmic compost pile turning shit to new life
Whether we’re 5 or 55, each of us is growing older, and Sari Botton is fascinated by all of it. So she publishes the Oldster Magazine to hear from people of all ages about how the growing-older process is going for them. I am thrilled to take part today, and here are my answers to Sari’s questions. Please join the conversation! Click the link to see the rest of the interview, and join in over there with your questions, comments, or commiserations. How is aging going for you?
How old are you?
67
Is there another age you associate with yourself in your mind? If so, what is it? And why, do you think?
I’ve always been 42 or 43. Kind of came out of the womb as a 40-year-old. I learned to read early and just wanted to bury myself in books—to learn, learn, learn. As a kid I always identified with the adults in the room. And as a teenager I was miserable because adolescent things were beyond me—no clue how to be young, just sitting on my hands waiting to grow up. I look back at that girl now and think, So earnest! Just relax and enjoy yourself! But that all would come later.
Now that I’m 67, I still feel like I’m 43. The people I’m drawn to are about that age. And I have the energy for changing the world that I associate with younger people. I feel in some ways right now like I’m just getting started.
Do you feel old for your age? Young for your age? Just right? Are you in step with your peers?
A few years ago, in my mid-60s, I was diagnosed with autism, and that out-of-step feeling started to make sense. Turns out it wasn’t just about age—I was out of step, period! Always felt like I had to catch up somehow, always scanning the room to find out how to be. Click to see the rest . . .
