At what point does one become "old?"?

30. TRUST ME.

Semantics

I am 45. It is just a #

As cliche and stupid as it sounds, the minute I found out Michael Jackson died I felt my childhood slip away. I really did.
Begin taunting now.

When you have less to look forward to than you have to look back upon.

It’s all in the attitude. My 74 year old mother in law is WAY older than my 85 year old neighbor, and my 84 year old mother may not move around or see very well, ....well…. she is old, but she is so wise that it makes being old cool.
Me, At 48 I am not about to admit to being old, even if I do live in a senior community that my husband qualifies us to live in. He’s not old either. he works out almost daily and is strong as a horse. For you whipper snappers out there, “strong ans a horse,” is a figure of speech.

You start to think seriously about some of your life and choices at 30 but at 40 I think you start to really feel a bit of your mortality but then you just start paying less attention to it. Whatever time you do imagine that you have though, it always goes much faster than you imagine and progressively faster every year.
@kikibirdjones
Michael Jackson? You are such a dork..just kidding
I remember as a child seeing his cartoon when he was a boy in the seventies.

Only when you choose to be.

Grown up, responsible, no longer a kid? That happened at about thirty. Then once the first kid arrived, I was definitely no longer a kid.

physical age 19…. mental maturity – age 50+ ..... i’m no fun, unless you like to come sit with me and read books all day….

age is only a number. IM 44 and dont feel any older then i did when i was24. Dont let age controlle you. You controlle your age. And you will be young forever.

Well, by golly, at age 63, i’m still full of “p & v!”

Age is something we have no control over…why worry about it!

Today, is the best day of my life! Cheers!

For me it has been this last year. Only because I have seen things in myself that I don’t like and can’t accept. Like my saggy jawline. However, I am far too critical of myself. That’s a topic on it’s own. So I guess it is when you make a big issue out of a certain change either in your body, or your lifestyle. Or like me you tell people “you are old”. Or you stop following trends as in, don’t want to learn new things, or try new ways of doing things. It is when you are the oldest person at work, and it gets to you, but age is relative. I am a young chickie to a guy of 65. Oh it’s tough, but I will find a solution loll. As I might grow old in years, but never will allow myself to just “get” old. However it is a work in progress!

I think about my daughter and son who are only 9 but have faced a lot of hardships in their few years that some, who live an entire life, will never know. There is something about them that seems wisely aware of life that reminds me of people who have lived lots and lots of years. I sometimes wonder if “old” and “young” are expressions of personhood just as surely as the accumulation of years.

One of my old bosses told me it was when ge spent more on his christmas presents for his parents than they did for him.

I haven’t felt old yet.

I feel like I am getting old sometimes, the body doeskin respond how it used to or whatever…. but mentally…. Still a child.

On your 40th birthday.

6:45 p.m., next Tuesday.

@Snarp And don’t forget your coat.

I’m not sure this is feeling old, but the fist time I really felt like i wasn’t a kid anymore was when I realized that I was responsible (even partly) for someone else’s well-being. The first time I made a major decision by considering the other person’s needs over my own was the first time I felt old.

@ragingloli – WRONG! :-)

Alright. That is only where your midlife crisis starts.

@ragingloli – WRONG! :-)

No, right!

It’s a mental attitude. I’ve gone from a very young 52 to an ancient 53, ready for the boneyard. A single event can do that to you.

I am old at certain moments when I see my reflection, and think, “who is that old guy?” The rest of the time I’m 17, but I know a lot more than other 17-year-olds.

When you start thinking you are.Believe it;)

I think you start to feel old when you don’t have a purpose anymore.
e.g My mom she’s almost 40 and she’s a very good medic and she gets up in the morning for this but I can bet that when she’ll retire(if she doesn’t find a very good hobby)she’ll feel old and meaningless.Even someone who didn’t do anything with his life he still wants to hang out at a beer with friends,have kids etc.

You’re as old as you let yourself be. For example, my dad’s going to be 60 this April (and I’m 13 and my sister is 9) and he acts like he’s 40. In fact, usually, people think he’s 40. We just don’t let him get old. And then there’s my grandpa, who’s 90. People seriously think he’s 70. He comes to our house once a week. I’m so blessed to have him for my grandpa.

When one acts that way. Also when your day typically consists of watching the Game Show Network as well as Matlock and Diagnosis Murder reruns.
That also applies to Murder, She Wrote, BTW.
(Sorry, jbfletcherfan.)

My 92 year old mother can answer this question…...never! she is spry and sharp as a tack. she remembers things back to the street car days. her first kiss. she still thinks like a kid. i love her for that and i only hope i have her genes.

@john65pennington John clearly you do!

When you start bitching that the music’s too loud.

I call it 60 and leave it there. At that point, you’ve lived longer than most people have throughout history.

@Nullo ouch!!!!! Well, I’m 63! Don’t feel old at all. My grandfather lived to be 97 and all my mom’s sisters are almost 90. Well, two of them are over 90! They are up and still going. Been very active all my life and carry my age well. Still play golf 4 or 5 days a week and carry a 6 handicap.

“hip hip hooray” for all the folks that still think positive and feel good!

The only time I “feel” old is when I go out to the bar and see all these baby faced kiddies whooping it up…but I have not begun to surrender the the concept of becoming old…does not compute!!

I did feel old the first time I had a doctor who was younger than me.

You become old, When you give up on living!

@Judi
Ahh but those young, cold hands…