Not Too Old

Many times I have heard that you are never too old to . . . . . (fill in the blank); however, I never really took this adage to heart.  There are so many days I feel too old for most everything.  Every time I have a doctor’s appointment for this or that, the doctor will invariable say something like, “You know, as you age . . .”!  Or when shopping for clothes I’ve been told that “as your body ages, things move around”.  And on and on and on.   Thanks everyone, but tell me something I don’t know.  But honestly, can I really be too old for everything. 

I love going for walks.  I’m pretty good at my job.  I read a lot. I watch TV and play mindless computer games.  And, well, we eat out a lot.  Hmm, doesn’t sound very exciting I guess.  I have to admit, I’m not very good at trying new things.  I think I’ve become too comfortable in my own little world and don’t step outside to see what’s out there to discover.  Am I too old to discover?  These were things I mulled on for several months last summer.  But I never really made an effort to change anything.

Thanks goodness for my daughter.  She has a good way of getting people out of their funk, and she gave me just the push I needed.  Sure, my body has changed its shape, and my eyesight isn’t as good as it was once.  But so what!  I don’t feel that old.  In fact I am shocked when I look in the mirror and see this old person looking back at me.  In my mind’s eye, I’m only 35, but no younger.  (I don’t ever want to go through high school again!)

So, what did my daughter get me into?  Going to college!  I have now signed up for an accelerated adult student program to get a degree in Business Management.  I don’t have a business to manage, and am not sure where this will lead, but I have always regretted not going to college.

I jumped right into the process.  Step one was to fill out the FAFSA forms.  Let me tell you, they have certainly simplified this process since I had to do these for my daughters!  That was a blessing. Next, I applied to the college and requested my transcripts.  I really had to wonder what good it would do to know what my grades were in high school – well over 30 years ago.  I actually took typing – on a real typewriter.  We used Xerox paper!  There are young people today that don’t know what a typewriter is used for, other that some kind of retro decoration.  I ran into this issue at work when a sweet 21-year old did a money order for a customer who then wanted their address added to the remitter line.  I was walking through the lobby when she asked me if I knew how to make the typewriter in the back room put words on this check!  I helped her out, but then the roles were reversed the very next day.  My granddaughter put Instagram on my phone, and I didn’t have the first idea of what to do with it.  My young co-worker helped me out! 

But I digress.  After the process was completed, I was accepted to the college. Then after I submitted an essay on how I would find the time to do homework and was interviewed, I was admitted to the program.  (Homework – now that is a scary thought.) Very soon after, I was contacted by the kind finance people to let me know that I was not eligible for any grants or scholarships, but I could file some more information and get a student loan.  As it turns out, I’m not too old to incur additional debt!  Thank goodness my daughter was able to provide me with two of the books I need for the Spring Semester.  That only left one more for me to order.  I did that today and it was only $130.00!  I’d better learn something really good from that book!

So here I am at 56, with a brand new Student ID, textbooks, a tote bag and a schedule telling me that I will be tying up every Tuesday for the next 28 months from 6 – 10 PM in a college classroom.  Tomorrow I go for orientation and then the first hour of my first class - "Oral Communication".  Oh dear Lord, what was I thinking!!

My motto for 2015 is “All Things New Again”.  Here I go with a renewed resolve to try new things, step out of my comfort zone and live a fuller life.  My second new thing is starting this blog!  Here I go!