My Senior Moment

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When I was a new mom, I frequently was mistaken for the babysitter. Now everyone thinks I’m much older than I actually am.

I’ve been getting invitations from older friends to join them for AARP functions. A kid at work once asked me what it was like to be a hippie in college and if I'd been to Woodstock. I also belong to a book club of women who are older than me and who I adore for their candor – the kind of forthrightness that is earned with age. I normally don’t mind being mistaken for “the older woman.” This morning, though, I really started to wonder if maybe I shouldn’t change some things about my appearance.

I drove to Miramar Lake for a run and noticed most parking spots already taken. As I came out of the restroom, a woman I know from the track club asked if I was participating in the morning’s 5k race. I told her no, I didn’t even know there was a race. Lo and behold, it was a Senior Olympics competition!

Then this afternoon I went to get new running shoes. I tried on one size and declared them too big; so I bought a full size smaller. I got home with my new pink Mizunos (I am so not a Pink Shoes Person) and discovered my other shoes were all a size larger. Now, I’ve worn the same size running shoe for years – how could I forget the size, let alone the fit?! As it is, I’m keeping these. I’m not running long, long distances that cause my feet to swell and I’m thinking it might actually cut down on the number of falls. Hmmm. Lousy memory…frequent falls (but I can get up!)... motion-control shoeware leaning towards pastels. Maybe my friends all see something in me that I don’t.

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