"Full Circle"

     I attended my first Psychology of Aging class recently.  Initially, it seems like a class I will enjoy.  The first question our Professor asked was what age we, as individuals, feel is old, and why.  I knew immediately that this was going to be painful.  The ages mentioned ranged from 60 (OUCH!), as indicated by one naive youngster, to 85, as indicated by...yours truly.  The youngster’s reasoning was that age 60 is when people begin to qualify for Senior Citizen discounts.  My reasoning, which I unabashedly related to the class, is that since I am flirting with 60, I don’t consider it old.  (Yes, that comment caused much laughter among the youngsters.)  Additionally, I know many people in their eighties who are still quite spry!  They are active, optimistic, and sharp as a tack!  I find them inspirational.

     The temperature was all of 10 degrees when I went to school.  I was dressed as if I were preparing to run the Iditarod. I appeared to be carrying about 25 extra pounds from the numerous layers I was sporting.      

     Additionally, my apartment is freezing.  I took a ride to Target so that I could do some shopping and warm up simultaneously.  I couldn’t find a sweater or a pair of boots in the place, but there were racks upon racks of bathing suits. Hello?!?!? It’s January?!?!?  I wonder…if the stores continue to rush the seasons,  perhaps they will eventually come full circle, and wind up selling clothing in the appropriate time of year?!?!?