Around the Bluhmin’ Town

By

Judy Bluhm

On a perfect Fall Day, I fell. Which means I took Fall literally. I was walking down a grassy knoll in the park by a children’s playground, with my dog, Teddy. Suddenly he stopped in front of me, and I tumbled in spectacular fashion, rolling the rest of the way down the hill. Several kids came over to ask if I was okay. Yep, I was fine.

“Are you old?” a young boy asked boldly. “I might be old,” I replied.  Then a little girl said very seriously, “That’s when all the falls start. My grandmother told me this. And she also said that old age comes real fast.” Then the girl skipped away.

Out of the mouth of babes? I mean I was just minding my own business when the entire concept of being old came to the forefront. I thought I might do some research by asking my grown grandsons if they thought I was old. One answered, “Of course, you’re my grandma.” Another (more diplomatic) grandson said, “I never think of you as old.” Ha! Exactly. Just because I crashed in the grass doesn’t classify me as elderly.

Baby Boomers total about 16 percent of America’s population with 56 million strong. By 2030, an estimated 20 percent of Americans will be at retirement age and in 2034 it is predicted seniors will outnumber children. Well, it is already happening. People aged sixty-five and older began outnumbering children five and younger worldwide for the first time in recorded history in 2023. Evidently, in the future we won’t need as many playgrounds, but more pickleball courts.

 Could a “graying” America create problems? Eventually there will be more folks receiving Social Security than people in the workforce. And most of our communities were built around the young and mobile, which poses challenges. Millions of homes have primary bedrooms on the second floor, yards to take care of, and entire neighborhoods designed where simple errands require driving.

As folks get older, “downsizing” becomes a consideration. It might make sense, but it is easier said than done. Transitioning to a smaller place can be rough, since we have collected things that we love over the course of our lives. Sure, it’s only “stuff,” but the tea-set that great-grandma brought over from England has meaning. So does the piano that was the center of family gatherings.

Aging does create shifts in behaviors and attitudes. My girlfriend “downsized” all her high heel shoes for “safety and comfort.” She claims that now she is officially “old.” Well, that’s if our shoe choices define age. In which case, I am still young.

So, is age really just a number? Perhaps. And if we are lucky, our numbers keep adding up. My neighbor’s five-year-old grandson told him that “It must be good to get old.” The child went on to say, “Old folks get to do whatever they want, and can eat lots of ice cream.”

Dear Readers, do not be afraid of growing old! It’s so much fun. Be sure to enjoy your “stuff,” eat plenty of ice cream, wear any shoes you feel like and just be careful walking downhill.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a realtor. Contact Judy at [email protected] or visit www.aroundthebluhmintown.com.