Mama Used To Say
Don’t you rush to get old
Mama used to say
Take it in your stride
Mama used to say
Live Your Life
Wise words from the mom of Junior (the artist who sang ‘Mama Used to Say’). Lately, I have been having WTF moments that had me questioning why I was unaware of certain things related to getting older. such as:
The challenges of parenting teenagers far outweigh parenting newborns/toddlers
requiring daily supplements after a certain age to keep up with your health
working out every day and watching what you eat won’t necessarily help with weight loss like it used to, if anything it MAY help you maintain weight
as you age your bladder will betray you every time you laugh no matter how many kegel exercises you do
There are many more but you get the idea. Why on earth did the generations before us fail to fully equip us for this aging process? Was it a lead by example pact that was passed around? Did they also have this WTF lightbulb moment? Did they become so enraged that they vowed to never share what they endured and instead laugh at us in secret as we attempt to maneuver?
I wondered if I was alone in my thinking about this so I asked social media pals what are some things they wish they would have known and here are some of the responses:
Budgeting and Finance
Heartbreak hurts worse today
How real life gets through aging and loss
how hard it is to carry the weight of the highs and lows your children face
I ended with that one because maybe that’s why they didn’t/couldn’t tell us. Maybe just maybe they were trying to maneuver their own lives while parenting, the same way we are now. Even if you aren’t a parent, life is heavy AF. Someone also shared that they feel like most of the things we wish we knew they are probably learning now too. I get that for sure.
The same way this blog is my open book, I try to share as much with my kids as I can cause it’s hard out here. We are all fighting for our lives in some aspect and if I can equip mine then I am going to try my damndest to do so. I implore you to do the same (this goes for parents, aunties, uncles, friends, etc.) and not only with the younger generation, help your fellow human out as well. If you see them struggling in some way or they come to you in confidence, ask if you can help in any way and then lead with grace if you can. Avoid judgment. Find the humor and joy in growing older cause I am telling you it is a regular standup act in here smh
Now if you will excuse me, I have to research what brand of adult diaper I need to help with my little laugh “accidents” … see? told you - comedy.
