Who They Used To Be

A few weeks ago, I visited my parents, in a senior citizen community. By definition, I fall into the senior category. Over 55, is the benchmark for most senior discounts. I have my trusty AARP card in my wallet at all times, just in case I come across a good discount. I always joke, that if I am hit by a car, the headline would start off "An elderly woman...". This morning, I was eating breakfast in a local diner. I looked around the room and saw that I was the youngest one there, by at least 20 years. The women were all dressed up wearing very stylish jewelry and matching accessories. The men looked well dressed, too. For most of them, their day will revolve around eating, talking with friends and possibly a show. The rest of the week will be like ground hogs day. Same old, same old. Maybe a doctors appointment or a blood test, just to mix things up a bit. When I looked at their faces, I imagined what they looked like, when they were my age. I tried to look through the wrinkles and gray hair. Some of them must have been stunning. I then tried to imagine what they did in their youth. Was he a doctor? Was she a teacher?. At their age, the playing field is leveled. Each one, on par with the next. The only thing that separates them, is their health. I overheard one couple talking about an event that they had been to. The woman said "the meeting was interesting, but the people there were old". This woman had to have been a minimum of eighty years old. I guess as we grow older, our image of ourselves stays the same. Only the people around us age.