De la Cruz-Busto: Thoughts on getting older

Saturday, February 11, 2012

IN A week's, I will be 39 years old. When I am by my lonesome, I think about how things would be before turning 40. I feel I am already doing things that I think people turning older do. I know I am getting old because of the things that I do now that I do not normally do when I was younger.

I feel and know I am getting old because I would always be on a reflective mood. Back then, I would not find time to sit still to just while the time away and think of the things that I have to do or I will do. Or ponder about how my life or that of my family.

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I know I am getting old because I would now prefer to stay longer sitting down observing people at the malls, or spending time in the coffee shop to read, or staying even much, much longer in book hubs when normally I do not.

When I was in my 20s or early 30s, I could take my time to window shop the long stretch of stores in Megamall perhaps. I would be very happy to go on a “lakwatsa.” These days, I hate going to places where long walks, meaning the starting from malls’ entrance up to their exits without really getting tired.

I know I am getting old because from a mere two (2) kinds of vitamin intake—vitamin C and one kind of multivitamins—I am now taking a handful. I take organic vitamins for almost every part or cell of my body—memory, eyes, skin, heart, urinary tract, blood sugar, to name a few.

Getting older for me also means controlling my diet and my unhealthy eating habits. Sometimes, I still binge on junk foods. But I no longer share the motto of some people who eat to the maximum and would joke, “patay kung patay”, than abstain themselves from eating not so nutritious foods. When I was younger, I would echo people who would say that eating too much will kill you; but not eating, will also bring the same results, you might as well eat the foods you like and die happy.

If there is goodness in getting old, it is in one’s desire to be fit to live longer. My husband and I have made it a habit to run for a few minutes during nighttime as much as we can. Running is one thing I could proudly say that I am still able to keep up with. Sometimes, I could outrun my husband and I would be happy when I could do that even just for a few times.

I know am getting old because I prefer doing religious and somber activities. I would rather meditate, do novenas and pray quietly, than do extreme outdoor adventures that my son and nephews are now enjoying to the hilt. Although I consider myself religious, I think it has intensified now that my spiritual outlook has been bolstered.

Getting old for me also means waking up way ahead of my alarm clock even if I slept late the night before. When I set my alarm clock for five o’ clock in the morning, I would usually wake up some 30 minutes ahead of the time I set my alarm clock and I hate it as I can no longer go back to sleep.

I also know I am getting old because I abhor anything loud, whether music or TV shows. I am not sure if the same feeling goes for other people. But what I know is the fact that when I was younger, I loved hearing the loud music of Cyndi Lauper, Madonna and other rock artists. Now, I am way past that.

I know I have mentioned in my past writings that I have said that since the major stroke my mother suffered almost two years ago, I made sure that my siblings and I have insurances to our names. Apart from that, I have also started to scout for a health insurance or HMO, just in case I will get ill. This was an offshoot of a relative’s heart bypass in December who basically did not pay much for that million pesos procedure because early on, he had gotten himself and his children health insurances or HMO when his wife died years back of cancer. It indeed pays to prepare for illnesses and other unexpected sickness.

Despite some setbacks on getting old, I would say that getting old makes me seriously think about the future. I have become more frugal (although I have always been one). Most importantly, I have also become more concerned about my son and husband, as well as my family back in Davao.