Age is a relative concept

Age is a relative concept. We were stuck, the workshop we needed to update, needed a new title and we wanted to remove the word Elder from the title. After much discussion and no resolution, we left with the resolve to attack the problem at our next meeting. As I drifted off to sleep, I woke up with a start and realised that age is a relative concept.

When I was 9 or 10, I could hardly wait until I was old enough to drive, which was 16. When I turned 16 I could hardly wait to be old enough to go into the pub at 21. At 10 I saw 16 as old, at 16 I saw 21 as old.

In my 20’s I worked with some old/experienced people in their 30’s. In my 30’s I thought, "I hope when I reach my 40’s I will be in as good as shape as old so and so". In my 50’s I though those in their 60’s and old and now in my 70’s I see those in their 80’s as old.

I am not alone, a recent survey showed that most Canadians believe that old is defined as someone who is at least 10 years older than they are now.  We live longer, we live healthier and we live happier than we did 30, or 40 years ago, and that is a good thing. 

I know I am getting older, but the question is not if I have aged, but whether I have realised my purpose in life, and if I have not yet done this, what plans have I or will I implement to make sure that I do this in my future.

So, when my group meets again, I know we will remove the word “Elder” from our workshop title and come up with a title that reflects the content of the workshop not the age of the workshop attendees.