Ten Things You Can't Do After Age 40

I turned 40 this year. Although I don't feel old, I am aware of fewer options available to me in my life. Most notably:

1. Start a professional athletic career -
This is the one that hurts the most, most likely because I watch a lot of sports. I want to be able to do what they do! Of course, it is always encouraging to follow Adam Vinatieri (Colt's kicker) who is still a year older than me. However, he did start a long, long time ago.


2. Be considered "cute"- 
If all fairness, this will probably come back to me in another 50 years. I know I will be that 90-year old lady, sitting in front of a window at the nursing home with a smile on my face. Everyone will walk by and say what a cute old lady. Just like they would to a baby. That middle part? Those are all the awkward years.


3. Eat crackers for dinner and expect to lose 5 lbs.-
A week before I got married (at age 23), I thought I wanted a little extra room in my wedding dress. So, for a week, I ate crackers with peanut butter. It did the trick, and everything was nice and roomy. If I were to do that now? I would likely blow up from the carbs and eat all the pancakes the next morning.


4. Squats (without stretching)- 
Any exercise done at this point in life needs a little consideration before it's begun. Muscles at this age have been around long enough to understand what exercise REALLY is- the breaking down of muscle in order to rebuild it. They don't want to go through that, so they resist it. But, if you break into it gently, you might be able to coax them into the idea that it isn't so bad.


5. Ignore certain health issues-
Oh, the foods I used to eat. The fat-laden, carb-rich dinners. And then dessert. I'm not a total health nut at this point, of course. (That will take the pleading of many doctors and use of the phrase, "Do you have a living will?") But, every doctor visit brings up the question of my cholesterol. Also, my family medical history is brought into the picture. "How many of your relatives have high cholesterol? And how many have had heart disease? Oh, you had a grandmother die from this condition? Hmm." 


6. Read in the dark-
I still have 20/15 vision. But blurrier days are ahead. I have no need to rush them. I like being able to see. So, as much as I want to finish the next chapter, I'm going to grab a book light to do it.


7. Go to a restaurant and throw sugar packets over at another table-
Mostly because the kids are watching. Guess I'm not in college anymore, hard as that seems  to believe.


8. Do the cup game in public-
You break one glass. Sheesh.


9. Smile a lot-
As a catcher, I used to make my pitcher crack up because I was always smiling behind my mask. (Honestly, that was just how I had to position my chin to keep the mask sitting properly on my tiny little head.) But smiling did continue to be my norm though out each day. Now? Wrinkles. Blah. Okay, world, it's not that I'm not happy anymore, I just don't want my eyes and mouth to look older than they are.


10. Complain about having such thick, beautiful hair-
OK, I never complained about "beautiful" hair, but now when I look back at it, I see that I never noticed the beauty that was thick hair. When I see it all going down the drain in the shower, I miss the necessity of conditioner.


Come to think of it, there are a lot of things which I didn't notice when I was younger. As I get older, I'd like to think I am seeing more and appreciating more. More than anything, I hope for many more years to look around. I'll use the book light if I have to, though.

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