COMMENT

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

(AS LONG AS IT’S NOT 60)

Since the last time I sat down to commit my thoughts to paper regarding anything I find slightly interesting, the only thing of note that has happened, if you disregard the ‘C’ word, is that I have had a birthday. It wasn’t a traditional milestone, I

have long since passed 21 and can, genuinely, no longer remember it. Not because I had partaken of too many beverages at The Rose & Crown in Trowbridge (my chosen hostelry of the time), although I’m sure I had a ‘few’, but just because it is so bloomin’ long ago. It’s 35 years ago… I’ll say that again…it’s thirtyfive years ago. For those of you that are mathematically challenged that means on 2 May 2021 I celebrated - if that’s the right word - my 56th birthday. This particular number means that I am nearer 60 to 50, although technically I guess I was nearer 60 the day after my 55th birthday, but who’s counting?!

Getting older has, honestly, never bothered me in slightest before, there is nothing you can do about it. You are the age you are. You might look 41 and actually be 21 or look 21 and be 41 but it doesn’t change the fact you were born at a particular time on a particular day which makes you the age you are. It’s nice if people think you look younger than you are and perhaps not so great if they think you look older than you are but it doesn’t actually change anything. Coming to realise though that you are nearer 60 than 50 has sort of

knocked me sideways a little bit. 60 is old isn’t it? Unless of course 60 is the new 40 and life begins at that point. If it does (I have my doubts) it will be at a much slower pace than previous ages. I’m also fairly sure at some point 50 was the new 40 so I’m not entirely sure who to believe.

I have a few more grey hairs than I did but I don’t have too many signs of getting older. I still run a decent amount and cycle a bit. If I get injured, which thankfully isn’t that often, it does take a little longer to recover but that’s to be expected I think. One of the more obvious ways that age seems to have manifested itself in my life is my sleeping habits. I am now very ready for bed and a book at 9.30pm at the latest. I might be able to stretch to 10pm if we are watching a particularly good episode of The Repair Shop on BBC iPlayer and Steve - mechanical genius that he is - has a spectacular clockwork mouse, or similar, he has fixed up and has to do the big reveal to the person who brought it in. Other than that I am usually asleep pretty early and am up and about by around 5am latest and that’s without help from two young children who rarely show themselves until 6am-ish.

Getting older is inevitable I know I just never expected it would happen to me!!!

“Getting older has, honestly, never bothered me in slightest before, there is nothing you can do about it. You are the age you are.”

Phil Rockliffe