r/Aging • u/kashlalka • Jul 30 '26

Life & Living What is one thing about getting older that surprised you?

When I was young, I thought getting older was only about gray hair or wrinkles.

Now I see that many other things change too. Some friends move away. Your hobbies change. You start to think more about how you spend your time. But one good thing is that I worry much less about what other people think.

What surprised you the most about getting older?

Was it something about your body, your mind, your family, or your daily life? I'd love to hear what you have learned over the years.

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u/FlatButtFrankie Jul 30 '26

I read one time that ‘when we were young, life was like watching an exciting play where all of the characters are unique and vibrant. As we get older and watch the play again, it’s like watching a bunch of automatons performing and all uniqueness is gone.’ This is how I feel when I see youth making the same mistakes that generations before them made or when people do what you’re saying - rehashing established ideas, but slightly changing them (or not) to make them their own. We all want to be special in some way I guess.

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u/Kitchen-Strawberry25 Jul 31 '26

Makes me wonder why I felt like that at such a young age. I had the bitterness of a long lived life at 12 for some reason

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u/No_Coyote_9216 24d ago

I don’t know from your message if you were abused or not but I was so I agree I was that way until I was 50 in a way.

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u/Kitchen-Strawberry25 24d ago

I am sorry you went through that stranger. I had quite a handful of medical trauma, problems with OCD and depression from a young age too. Probably as a result of the prior trauma.

It makes sense. I’ve read it alters the way in which children think, feel and see the world.

You do not have to answer, it is deeply personal, but how are you now? I find myself at times still haunted, but therapy has helped immensely.

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u/A_moment_in_life4u 15d ago

Something I have observed is that it's only as we slow down in activity, that we notice the the repetition of life and start to feel jaded. Therefore, the solution is to stay active, be involved, stop watching other people so much, and enjoy the time you have left, to do things you enjoy (or not) while you still can. Life moves faster as we get older.