What is it about *60*?

[qwlauren35]

Anyone else have trouble with turning 60?

It's really bumming me out. I don't remember 50 being like this.

The only thing I can think of is how far away retirement is.

I'm relatively healthy, I have a good job, I'm in a good field.

But for some reason, *60* is just freaking me out.

I don't feel old. But the number says "old". Senior benefits.

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. I remember feeling like I hit some kind of

wall at sixty. I am now 76 and that wall is getting harder and higher.

[NCDem47]

2. 60 is the new 50.

It's been my experience that the realization of turning 70 hits people hard. Hardcore deep "Third Act" feelings.

[Nittersing]

21. Yes. Turning 70 in June and it's.... sobering nt

[GoodRaisin]

42. I hit 71 in November and find that I don't think about it much at all.

Nothing I can do about it anyway. I say if you are still relatively healthy be glad every day that you are and enjoy life doing what you like to do.

[Walleye]

3. Chuck Jones who drew the Bugs Bunny characters said:

I don’t feel like an old man, I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him. I just turned 75, I understand the sentiment

[Ocelot II]

7. Bingo.

I am a young woman whose skin has gone wrong and whose boobs are pointing south. But I'm not old.

[padfun]

4. I'm 69 and feel the same as I did at 60

Except my left knee hurts all time. (I know, I just keep delaying that knee replacement)

And my 60's have been the best time of my life. (Probably due to retirement and having tons of money)

[tazkcmo]

9. Lol

Retirement and tons of money. Yup. Definitely helped. Thanks for the chuckle.!

Good for you! Enjoy!

[calguy]

5. 60 isn't quite so bad to those of us

who are past 70. As Johnny Carson once said, The definition of old is ten years older than where you presently are.

[True Dough]

6. Research indicates that those in their 60s

are generally happier. Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised!

https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/are-we-getting-happier

[LakeArenal]

8. It's a b.... To get old. Youth is wasted on the young.

Clichés have some truth in them.

When we retired to a new community of expats, at 70, we became the youngsters. Hang around with 80 year olds and you feel younger.

[tazkcmo]

11. I worked in retirement community for 4 years.

On Sundays we served brunch in the main dining room and I would be present in the dining room carving and serving the guests. Roasted Turkey breast, prime rib, etc. Even including the resident's "children" that were visiting, at 51 years old, I was almost always the "baby".

I loved Sunday brunch.

[Bayard]

20. "carving and serving the guests"

Did that come with fries?

(Sorry!)

[tazkcmo]

36. Hilarious!

I was going to edit but what the hell. Hope everyone gets a good laugh out of it. I did!

[Polybius]

10. It all depends on the person

I cried when I hit 20. Every round number since then has gotten harder and harder.

[tazkcmo]

12. Use block font.

Maybe it will help?

[Polybius]

13. Lol

Up until my early 40's, I had 20/20 vision. Thankfully, Chrome and DU allow the option to have bigger fonts.

[happybird]

17. I feel ya.

I’ll be 50 next year. It may sound horrible to say, but I never expected to live this long. Not that I was suicidal, I just never thought about it. I remember thinking how “old” my parents were when I was in high school and they were only in their 40’s. I remember my Dad’s big “Over the Hill” party when he turned 50.

I don’t feel any different (other than some aches and shortness of breath) and I certainly don’t feel like a grownup. Maybe because I never had kids or got married or bought a house or any of those “grownup” things? Honestly, I think I’m in the midst of a mid-life crisis of sorts. I can’t believe I’m almost 50. It’s breaking my brain.

[MOMFUDSKI]

19. I remember telling my dad that he was a half a

century old when he turned 50!

[dickthegrouch]

23. I had a meltdown the day after my 29th birthday

because the next one would signify 30.
Now I'm 67 and feel little different mentally from when I was 30.
Physically is a different matter. Still feeling my oats but wishing I could still do it 5 times a day.

[BlueKota]

14. Mentally I still feel young

except I forget words sometimes, it's frustrating but tolerable.

What has been hard is all the physical ailments that seem to hit at the end of my 50's. I feel like Fred Sanford, always complaining about his sciatica, but it hurts. Then there is my digestive system from which I have pain every single day now, and my primary care doc and specialists can't even agree on the diagnosis or treatments.

But as long as there are still things that make you happy, age really is just a number in some ways.

[rogerballard]

15. For me it was 40...

Not to go into detail but it was rough. 50,60 not a problem.

[Goddessartist]

16. I'm glad I got to 61!

Sort of anyway. I was hospitalized at 59 and 60 for a brain aneurysm and a heart attack (NSTMI - Broken Heart Syndrome), and half my thyroid removed, and age has always just been a number to me. I also have EDS and am in chronic pain, but really I'm happy to be older. My body is like a loose bag of bones lol; in all actuality it is! However I'm still doing art - not for much longer as my hands won't let me, but I have my grandchildren and children and my Love, so it's all good. I still feel young, like others have said, just with the parts not like they used to be.

Enjoy being 60!

[GoodRaisin]

43. Me too.

At age 60 I nearly died from a ruptured spleen. Lived through it though, then had my nervous system break down with spine problems at 68 and survived that with cervical spine surgery but was left with some immobility and chronic pain which is really bad in my hands. Also dealing with lumbar spine my neurosurgeon says is “horrible”, causes walking issues, but I can still sit comfortable so I’m not going to risk that with more spine surgery. The great news is my heart and lungs are still good and no cancer. I can still drive and hobble around on a cane or walker and get to spend a lot of time with my 3 grandchildren. Can’t really say I “feel young” but at 71 I still take care of myself and stay too busy doing stuff to have time to worry about my age. I figure if Joe Biden can do it so can I.

[Goddessartist]

44. Wow we go through

these things, and sometimes come out a bit stronger in a way! I'm jealous you can drive! Chronic pain, it's no fun. I refuse opiates, I just hate the downer way they make me feel and I'm super sensitive to them. One Valium knocks me out- found that out prior to surgery for my hysterectomy. Oxycodone, well, let's just say I took part of a pill, but needed them after my throat surgery.

I'm sorry about your hands. My hands are starting to give out - can't always do art anymore.

I'm glad you're doing so well! And yeah, if Joe can do it we can too!

Blessings!

[cayugafalls]

18. The journey is the exciting part. Enjoy each and every day and...

...slide into the grave with a martini in one hand and the other firmly on the throttle.

Besides, AARP said I was a senior at 55 and I get discounts now.

[mopinko]

22. i turn 70 in august. i'm shocked almost every time i look in the mirror.

[Xavier Breath]

28. As am I, each time I look in the mirror

and see my father staring back at me. Did not see that coming.

[Fla Dem]

24. Age didn't bother me until I hit 75 last year.

I'm in good health, but know at this age, things can go downhill fast. In the past year lost 2 friends. One older than me and one my age.
But trying to live each day to it's fullest and enjoy life, my friends and family.

[Earth-shine]

25. I know how you feel. I'm 59.

What does it mean to be 60? How is it different than 59?

I remember having a midlife crisis when I turned from 29 to 30.

I also remember it went away the day after my 30th birthday. Turning 30 was much worse than being 30.

Being 60 brings different life concerns than 30. But I suspect that being 60 will be better than being 59.9.

For many years, my wife's mother said she never wanted to live to 100. She died from natural causes at 99.9.

[RSherman]

26. My friend turned 60 last year

She freaked out. I kind of couldn't understand. She is married, has two lovely daughters who are now a doctor and a teacher. She and her husband live in a beautiful home on a lake and they travel extensively. She told her family they were absolutely not allowed to bring up her birthday! She seems to have gotten over the hurdle and is ready for 61 this year.

I will turn 60 in June. I'm single, never been married. It feels like opportunities go away after our 40s and 50s?

[Boomerproud]

31. Your last line is 100% true.

My SIL said I should go on a singles cruise.

[RSherman]

33. For sure it's not easy out there!

I was in 3 long term relationships (2 died and the other guy is in assisted living with early onset dementia). I ski, snowshoe, and hike, but the groups I go with seem to be other women. Where are the men???? I even ride a motorcycle and that doesn't seem to open any doors either!

[BlueInID]

27. 60 is the new 40

Just turned 60 and my Dad had stage 4 prostate cancer when he was my age, so I understand the apprehension. What has helped me is to make a choice to do as much as I can for as long as I can. It's hard sometimes, but the alternative is worse, imo. So I just had ACL surgery to be able to keep doing things I love to do.

[Croney]

29. How old would you think you are, if you didn't know when you were born?

Some days I think it must be a mistake that I'll turn 80 in November. I feel 45! 50! Then the next day I take stock of all the little things that are wrong with me, and they add up to being 80 after all. Oh well.

[qwlauren35]

34. 45'ish

There are little indications.

The music I like, the movies I like, the actors and actresses I like.

I see people who look in their 50's and I think "normal".

I see people in their 20's and I think "children".

I hear about the changes that Gen Z is bringing in terms of work-life balance and mental health and it conflicts me. It's useful, but when I take advantage of it, I am uncomfortable.

It amuses me that half of my coworkers are younger, and the ones who are older and definitely gray.

It's just such a weird place to be in.

For the last 15 years, I was old enough to be the mother of some of the people I worked with. I found it amusing. Then I worked for a company where were were all the same age... and we all looked it. It's just been a weird ride.

I work somewhere now where seniority, experience, is valued. So, I am valued.

But I realy, really, really, wish I could retire. If they lay me off for some reason.... nah. Gotta wait for Medicare. Five more years at least.

[limbicnuminousity]

30. SMH.

You said it yourself: you're relatively healthy, have a good job, and are in a good field. That's a pretty nice place to be at any age.

[GreenWave]

32. As a more elderly person, I recommend seeing how many centuries old I am.

I am still a youthful "0"! And even if I should out the Big One on the board, it still feels young,

[Iggo]

40. It's true. You don't look a day over zero.

[NoSheep]

35. I had a great 60th birthday but after that day I've been freaked out by it.

I have a lot of arthritis pain and can't do much. I used to be unstoppable. Now I feel I am waiting to die.

[Redleg]

37. I will let you know this August

Fifty wasn't bad for me but I fear 60 will be worse.

[sinkingfeeling]

38. I don't remember turning 60, but I was that age when I was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer.

[cksmithy]

39. I hated turning 30, I am from the generation that can't trust anybody over 30,

but I loved turning 40, 50, and 60. Turning 70 was awful, I've had health issues that racked havoc on my face. At 73, I am finally getting used to the changes to my face. I know this is a shallow complaint, but I don't look like myself in the mirror even though I still feel like I am that young person from 43 years ago. My husband and I are retired and financially secure, so we don't have to I don't have to worry about that. As my husband just said, "I still have most of my health." (We also have good medical insurance.)

[Aristus]

41. My problem with turning sixty will come with very specific reasons.

I'm fifty-five now. My grandfather died of lung cancer (heavy smoker) at age 70. My Dad died of pancreatic cancer (lifelong non-smoker) just a month before his 69th birthday. When I turn sixty, I will have familial reasons for not expecting to live longer than another ten years, an eye blink of time, comparatively speaking.

I try to reassure myself that I don't have their risk factors. I've never smoked, I've never been exposed to the kinds of deadly chemical agents my Dad no doubt was exposed to in Vietnam. My Dad managed to combine an enthusiasm for physical fitness with a love of fattening junk food.

I try to eat right, and exercise regularly. But I love alcohol a bit more than I should.

What kind of future do I have? I've enjoyed twenty-five deliriously happy years of marriage with Mrs. Aristus (who is 63, but women have a longer life expectancy). How many more years do we have together?

This is really depressing...

[Wolf Frankula]

45. You get a new boss.

Your butt.

Wolf