SLOW DOWN!
I believe that is what the Universe is telling me as I have gotten older and time has caught up with this aging body that – for the life of me – can’t physically handle everyday chores and activities I routinely completed some six months ago.
Slow down. Yes, you are getting tired when you ascend the steps to get into your Conshohocken home and then many more steps to get to your second-floor bathroom and/or main bedroom. So, take a break. You have nothing to prove or to “carry-on” as us veterans used to say while serving in the military.
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Covid struck me just about six months ago and I ain’t been the same since. I questioned my doctor and other physician assistants but none believe I got what is called long-term Covid. It’s could just be the allergies I have as well as the general aging process that us turning age 76 must face.
I was so proud of myself walking 10,000 steps a day and even got awarded with money from two different study groups. The watch I wear daily was also gifted me for providing all the necessary body information medical investigators were looking at and comparing to other persons.
All of a sudden, I had to cut my steps to 4,000 a day and I have not been in my local gym called the Fellowship House since that day. Of course, the weather was much better and I could walk outdoors but now I will have to return and imply slow down the exercise routine.
I have driven less over the past months but attend the Senior Center of Upper Merion Township two and sometimes three days a week. No one has noticed anything about my more relaxed actions and I continue to joke around and have fun without any type of slow down.
But, I am going to accept the fact that the aging process causes such slow downs and I will learn to live with it. For at least two years. You see, both my mother and father – who married when they had a 20-year-age difference – died at the age of 78. It could be genetic that I not only slow down but come to a complete stop.
That’s one of the reasons I write Blogs like this. Family members reading ‘em may not get afraid of slowing down as I recently felt.
Contoveros 
I occasionally get to call out the numbers for bingo and here I’m quite a good bingo collar and I always like to start it with a little Patsy Cline “crazy” and I change it up a little I’m crazy about bingo lol so many activities so much fun to be had so grateful for it all and for you of course how exciting that you are able to bring new activities into your senior center!
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Bingo is one of the most attended activities at the senior center and it was through one of my gym members who told me about his bingo actions at the center that got me interested. Not so much in bingo, but the center where I have been an active on-going member for some three or four years now.
This fellow, named Paul Little, would actually meet other places and conduct the game as a bingo caller. He was quite good at it too, but I could never win under his bingo leadership..
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Oooooo 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗 I LOVE THIS BLOG TODAY 💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼 GIGGLE GIGGLE 🤭🤭🤭 so often we feel like slowing down is this “less than amazing thing” but it’s the slowing down in life that allows us the moments to watch the sun set and rise to notice the beauty of the flowers blooming and the birds singing to have beautiful moments on park benches just sifting through our wonderful memories of life! Just because our bodies don’t move as fast as they once did doesn’t mean that you life is in any way “less” then what it’s been! If anything it’s more more MORE!!!! Giggle Giggle 🤭 and I love that you attend a senior center! I’m so grateful to be blessed to get to work at the one in my town! I like to joke that they accepted me 15 years early lol which means I get 15 extra years of the amazing activities and wonderful people there! That’s a great way to remain active and social and to not get lost in our woes! Thank you thank you very much for “slowing down” taking the time and writing this blog for us 🤗🤗🤗
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The senior center opened me to so many new friends and activities. Having a Catholic up-bringing and my mother taking me to watch the priest spin the ball in a cage and call out numbers immediately came to mind as I saw the bingo games being offered several times a week..
I love sharing my thoughts about current events and am so grateful that two MAGA suooorters left our group and moved down South. Trivia is one of the highlights of the week and so is the poker games that a friend and I just started on a bi-weekly basis.
Let’s not forget the meditation sessions the center provides following another one of my recommendations. An Indian woman who might be Hindu conducts guided meditations and provides enlightening suggestions of ways to breathe and remain calm.
Yeah, slowing down has helped me a lot and I am grateful that others see the joy in such reduced actions as well!
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Slowing down makes sense however, medicine has learned so much since our parent’s deaths. I would not make that a major concern.
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You’re right.
Can’t remember what my parents kept in the medicine cabinet, except for band-aids. cough medicine and some shaving cream. Never heard either one of them talk about their medications.
Of course, this is long before we had Medicaire or some other support for a full-time chef and a part-time waitress.
Good to hear from you and hope that you are aging niceley!
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Let me share with you comments from Reddit:
aaaa2016aus
I work w radiologists (I’m no doctor myself lol) and they were talking about how radiologists read scans and which things are noted in their reports. But what was interesting they said they just expect things to be off when the person is older and there’s nothing “wrong” it’s just aging so they won’t note it in the report. Like they won’t mark down every small wrinkle etc. in the brain bc well it’s just normal for it to look that way at that age. They even joked about adding: “Macro: Old brain” on the report ha-ha. It’s like if you went to the dermatologist at 80, they wouldn’t make note of your wrinkles bc well, that’s just normal lol. They’d probably note down if you DDNT have wrinkles ha-ha.
Learning that aging is a natural process and it’s normal to feel it is definitely new to me too. I still have some resistance to it, but they’re right. There’s nothing wrong with it at all. An old brain at 80 is a healthy brain at 80, it’s supposed to be old ha-ha.
Contoveros: Right on!
We’re all going to slow down physically no matter what our body seems to think or wants to react to as if nothing could possibly change.
I love what your radiologist friends have to say about the aging process and how it is a natural progression and nothing at all wrong with it as long as our mind focuses on what really counts – having a healthy and loving brain about all of life.
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Spare-Brain-9589
One moment at a time… and, enjoy those breaks. Thank you for sharing and I think it’s about doing the best we can with what we have. 🙏
Contoveros: “Go with what you got” I believe is an old football saying that can apply to what you just mentioned here. And that is “doing the best we can with what we have.”
Thank you!
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Southern-Picture-125
Right on!
We’re all going to slow down physically no matter what our body seems to think or wants to react to as if nothing could possibly change.
I love what your radiologist friends have to say about the aging process and how it is a natural progression and nothing at all wrong with it as long as our mind focuses on what really couunts – having a healthy and loving brain about all of life.
Contoveros:
A healthy and loving brain is something is something we all can seek to achieve no matter what the age or the difficulties one might face in aging.
Thanks for your input Southern Picture from here up North outside of Philadelphia, PA.
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The following comments were exchanged on Facebook:
Janet Mather
So sorry about the Covid journey!!! I hope your pep and stamina come back, as you wisely slow down!
Michael J Contos
I am taking it easy and as slow as I can until I get the routine that I feel comfortable with and enjoy everyday activities once again.
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Terri Kiral
Sorry to hear of the slow down. Aging isn’t easy to navigate. It takes courage, guts, and resilience. You’ve got them all, Michael. I too, feel the changes sneaking in. Sending a hug and lots of love.![♥️]()
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Michael J Contos
Terri Kiral Thanks for the encouraging words. I just got to exert my resilience gene to keep up with the changes and make them part of my new life style
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Bill Reinecke
I say congratulations, Michael J Contos. I fought this losing battle for decades. Funny thing is when I went with it instead, I got more energy back.
Michael J Contos
Getting ready for that new energy which I believe can be appearing soon!
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Beth York
Oh boy. What a great attitude!
Michael J Contos
Did you say altitude or attitude? I’ll take either one with the way I’m feeling about the encouraging comments I am receiving about this post.
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Mike Sangiacomo
You seemed pretty spry the last time I saw you at Franzones.
Michael J Contos
Franzones in the Philadelphia suburb will make anyone feel a helluva lot younger!
Plus, we didn’t have to walk that far to get to the adjoining parking lot . . .
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Brother, though I’m younger than you, I relate a lot to what you’re saying here. My father died at the age I am now, and my mother went just a few years later. Retiring in February, I plan to join a gym, just to keep everything working properly for as long as possible. (I’d have joined much earlier, but there’s just not enough time to go during a workday, and after work hours the gym is a nightmare.)
In your case, I hope it’s not a matter of slowing down till you stop – at least not for a very long while. And till then I hope your quality of life picks up.
You didn’t mention it, but has your family noticed anything? My daughter has, and she’s now on tenterhooks anytime anything medical pops up. It’s heartwarming, but I now try not to mention anything at all, medical-wise, to her. I’d rather she didn’t worry too much. Life is more than our ailments anyway. : )
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I spoke to my son after reading your reply and we had a nice discussion on how I am becoming more forgetful. I felt bad each time and wanted to reassure him it must be part of the aging process and he has had a lot of patience and understanding.
Good luck with your retirement. I recommned hooking up with a senior group, many of which have the membership age as low as 50 years old
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I love this blog post this morning! Honestly, I think the later years are more about brain / wisdom power and less about physicality. The fight to stay “youthful” is so heavy, when what we really should be doing is embracing and honoring aging and understanding that wisdom only comes with time and experience… enjoy this next part. I think it could be the best part. Stay beautiful. Happy Sweet Holidays.
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Thanks for your encouraging words. I feel good having shared this with the world and look forward to honoring the age I am right now and how my mind can still remain youthful despite limited physical abilities.
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Michael, Glad that you are able to recognize and accept what is happening. I hope it brings some peace of mind. My 87 year old mom in Chennai is still in denial and fighting all attempts to help her. It makes everybody miserable.
All the best to you!
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Acceptance is the key. I Googled that word and came up with following qoute that your mother might enjoy.
“Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” – Goerge Orwell.
The author of “1984” amd “Animal House” also believed that anyone attempting to achieve perfect happiness was doomed to fail.
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