Feeling Old

Getting older has it's advantages I suppose. Watching my daughters turn into beautiful, intellegent young women is one. Patience, wisdom, and clearity come with the territory. Being able to appreciate the seemingly mundane items as well, like sitting on my front porch in the evening, keeping my lawn green against all odds, sunrise at Island Beach State Park with a line in the water, and getting that bloody Dublin Bay climbing rose bush to actually start climbing the arbor in the back yard.
However there are days when I feel like I'm 46 and not 26. The morning after trying to impress the young ladies at the gym and additional advil is required or when my daughters friends call me Mr Dixon. Another time is when I read on this site about the recent passing of a fellow alum or school employee that I knew or knew of during my 13 years at the school. I guess having Milton Hershey in common makes it hit home even more. I am always overtaken by a certain sense of sadness when I read names like Payne, Vanderslice, Maldonado and others. I'm a lucky man, count my blessing and try as hard as possible not to complain but this is the part of growing older I could live without.