Fear of the Fifties.

As Tom Stoppard said “Age is a very high price to pay for maturity. Most of us impersonate a young version of ourselves, though the centre of gravity of our panting passion has shifted. Having lived a chaotic life as a rebel, confused lover, playboy meandering into exotic drugs and alcohol- it progressively has taken its toll. You feel more grounded, age does that you. You no longer need to sound so patronizing, so exalted. You are happier and content with the smaller things, more real achievements, stuff that dignifies you. Travel is something you must avoid, the traffic is killing and the airport experience is dehumanizing & is almost double the journey time. This is real progress; you need not visit anyone Skype and internet has bailed you out. It is not an elegant age, receding and graying hair line, shortness of breath- no amour prope, growing pomposity and in general a feeling that life has singularly failed to bring you, your just rewards. However cheer up 50 is better as you tend to give up caring. Sigh, life is just a passing fanny! You leave the more grand eloquent gestures for the younger around who need to strut around with their stuff- too often make a juvenile point. You now focus on the genuine things that make a difference to life and those around you, that’s called wisdom. The rest is bullocks, younger people love to faff around. Past fifty we learn with surprise and a sense of suicidal absolution, that what we intended and failed could never have happened. As we grow older we become sure that one can also really love all the women one does not respect.