To ask when did you realise you are old?

[MyMonsteraisDeliciosa]

My son just changed my phone settings for me so the font is big and I can read everything. I'm just turned 43 and I just felt properly old for the first time. Boo! I'm waiting for new glasses which should help but I've always had perfect vision until the last couple of years. Poor me

What was it that made you realise you are no longer a youngster? Please.help me feel less alone in my sudden dotage!

About 5 years ago when my eldest 2 looked at me in wonder when I confirmed that, yes, Will Smith was a pop singer and not just an actor.

Im 51, since turning 50, I have been mistaken for ds's gran, a 12 year old mobile phone shop assistant recommended me a phone because, 'this one is popular with our more elderly customers', and my mum died ...all 3 things made me feel ancient.

@An0n0n0n

Going to a and e and realising the doctor was younger than me.

I'm in the weird position of being an NHS student with mentors much much younger than me. It's actually fine because I always respect that they have achieved the qualifications and have the experience so they are "work older" if that makes sense?! I definitely respect them all regardless of their age. Lord knows what they think of me though, I often feel like that intern in his 60s on Grey's Anatomy 😂

@HazeyJaneII

Im 51, since turning 50, I have been mistaken for ds's gran, a 12 year old mobile phone shop assistant recommended me a phone because, 'this one is popular with our more elderly customers', and my mum died ...all 3 things made me feel ancient.

I'm sorry to hear about your mum

Involuntarily saying ooof when sitting down.

And varifocals. Which I think are brilliant but I wish they didn't cost so flipping much!

@mymonsteraisdeliciosa yes! I think what hit me was a bit of an Oh Shit, that's what I COULD have achieved and here he is doing it 10 years younger than me!

A few years ago, I was about 36. A colleague told me that "Some of us young ones meet up for lunch / drinks, if you're interested?" Then she paused before adding "I mean, you're not young but you're still welcome."

Thank you all so much for sharing your stories. I feel like I'm in a club of not young but very awesome people now. For what it's worth I wouldn't want to be in my twenties again because I never really appreciated being young and was a timid little mouse. I don't give a fuck these days. Just wish I could see small things

When I was out with my best friend who is 10 years younger than me, but looks even younger. We were chatting to a group of younger people and one of them said well you must be at least 50 ( I was 50) and asked if I was my friend's Mum. I was horrified. Hitting the menopause at 53 has made me feel incredibly old and very much dented my self-esteem.

Not old but definitely an 'I'm getting old moment' has been massive increase in self confidence and self belief, stronger sense of values and priorities that are meaningful to me and not dictated by social expectations. Better ability to reflect purposefully on my past and in my behaviour. Better control of my decision making.

@Accidentaltransfer I absolutely love this! I've always struggled with self confidence and my use in the world and getting older has really helped, hence the career change. I'm so much more fulfilled now and wouldn't change a thing apart from the dodgy eyes

I don’t feel old at all. I’m 44 next month. I feel younger and fitter than I have since my teens. My youngest is in preschool. I was even considering another baby the other day. So I’m young. Right? But.people have started treating me like I’m old, which is weird because at first I don’t really get it. Young hairdressers and beauticians are the worst. Last one kept saying how good it was I ‘still’ cared about my appearance. I was thinking why wouldn’t I? What’s she talking about ‘still’? and she clarified by saying, ‘I hope I can still be bothered to make an effort when I’m old too’

Last night when I toppled over when putting on my knickers

’I hope I can still be bothered to make an effort when I’m old too’

If you’re 44 @MrsKoala, how old is she to think you are “old” - 5?

Probably when the little boy I used to babysit for visited and introduced me to his second child.

For me it was when Birmingham city centre ground to a standstill because thousands of people went to the bullring to see a YouTuber.

I didn't understand that at all - that's officially old when you don't get a thing.

I’m almost 46.
I still think I’m 27.
I certainly don’t get lots of things like following YouTubers but I get what it is.
I’ve always liked my own company, books, gardening etc.
I suppose I don’t feel old cause I have arm muscles like Arnie from lugging my DD around (who can’t walk) and the gardening I like is digging massive holes, lifting trees out of the ground and so on.
I’m definitely older than some of her doctors and could be her nurses grans, but I don’t feel it.
Today I had the most fun I’ve had for ages... destroying the piece of shit furniture in her room with a reciprocating saw

When I went to my GP with leg/groin pain that wasn't going away - thought i had pulled something at the gym - and after an x-ray was diagnosed with arthritis at 55. Never felt old until then. During lockdown when you could only go out for exercise, realised I was timing going for walks around taking the meds

This thread has made me think of Jenny Joseph's poem, Warning.

My brother (admittedly, 9 years older) is talking about retiring.

The majority of people who were at my work when i started 16 years ago have retired. I realised in a meeting that I had been here fir longer than everyone else in the meeting put together.

When I toppled over a fence face first. In my head I was going to just leap over like I would have done in my 20s. Instead my late 50ish body plunged to earth like an out of control asteroid.

Leaving a face-shaped crater...

In July the love of my life died of cancer, she was 58 and I was 62. I became old.

I think it's kind of a shame how our society sees age as such a negative thing anyway. I would much rather be the age I am now with the experience, knowledge and confidence I've gained along the way. Life is much easier and more fulfilling now than when I was in my 20's.

wildraisins

Absolutely!!
I love the age I am- older than many on this thread.
I know myself, I can read others like a book, no one can lie without my whiskers twitching, I am confident, know how the world works, don't give a shit what others think.
I feel free in my own self- much happier than when I was in my 20s.