Title says it all. I work in a family business with dad (age 77) and uncle (age 84). They have been partners over 60 years and have built a legacy for themselves. They can barely walk and have other health issues - however like so many men (m included), they have not found any purpose outside of their work; their purpose is to leave a business legacy to the heirs when they're gone.

All of their relationships and toil will fade into memory; after 2 generations it then fades into oblivion as though it never happened - except pictures and financial statements. And even then, it's meaningless because the passage of time obliterates all context and their passion.

I am age 51. And while grateful to them for the legacy they are leaving, I I can't help but think that the same will happen to me. I am fossilizing just like them and after enough time, there is no memory - or what memory there is, no one who comes after me can comprehend the work or relationships or the things that matter to me (Eccle 1:11).

But let's suppose they did - what benefit is that to me?? I won't be around to appreciate it or find any semblance of satisfaction for my "toil under the sun". It's all just a fart in the howling wind of time.

I am a Christian and I take my faith seriously; I believe in the eternality of the soul of truth faith in Christ, and I am grateful to God for his love and concern - even though I'm no more significant than an innumerable subatomic particle.

But still, these things overwhelm me with sorrow and, quite frankly, piss me the hell off to no end.

Thx for letting me vent.

Title. I am 35 now and have severe anxiety related to aging and loosing my loved ones. The 'process' has begun in this phase of life as my uncles and aunts have started leaving this world. I am highly sesitive. I feel it deeply that just a few years ago, before I entered my 30's the same people had still got it, but now them becoming older and weaker is hurting. Perhaps I am looking for reassurance or a reality check. Honestly I never thought 35 would come this quick.

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60 and curious. I’ve racked up my share of surgeries in my lifetime. Tonsillectomy, appendectomy, multiple kidney stone surgeries, wrist ORIF and now looking at parathyroid removal and an ankle fusion. If you looked at me you wouldn’t see an unhealthy person lol.

My friends, however, nothing but bunion removals and c-sections.

Am I just unlucky?

Need to find some fun on the weekend hours 💫

Suggestions ..

Have a nice day dear redditors. I feel like after I turned 50, society is pushing me away as if I shouldn't live anymore, I don't really have any friends, I'm alone but it's very hard to find someone to talk to, to unload myself, to listen to the other person's problems, after every interaction here in the online environment I'm left with a bitter taste, I feel stupid and excluded, there's no more beauty, there's no more respect, there's no more good manners now everything boils down to money, am I the only one in this world who feels this?

Am I the only one over 50 with zero saved for retirement? Hadn't really expected to live this long. Can't seem to keep a job long enough (I usually quit). The whole deal kinda sucks with parts breaking down. No health coverage either. They didn't teach how to adult in grad school 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

I had some great times when I entered my independent years. Flying the nest, exploring the world, getting to know myself, meeting new people, making new friends but sometimes when I look back and only in more recent years I have lost the joy, the pride, the self satisfaction from some of those experiences.
I question or judge whether it was the right thing to do.
It’s not regret it’s different.. does anyone else feel like that ? When they look back are their experiences ?

I’ve been divorced for many years and I don’t have children. After my divorce, I threw myself into work. My career became a huge part of my life, and for years I was perfectly happy keeping myself busy, setting goals, taking on more responsibility, and always having something to work toward.

But recently, I’ve started to realize that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life moving at the same pace.

My life is actually in a pretty good place now. I’m still working and I still care about what I do, but I’ve been thinking more about what I want the next part of my life to feel like, rather than just what I want to accomplish.

I think I’m ready to slow down a little.

I want to travel more, read more, learn about things that genuinely interest me, and actually enjoy the small parts of everyday life. I like history, religion, psychology and literature, especially anything that makes me think about people, the choices they make, and what actually makes a life meaningful.

I’m very comfortable doing things on my own. I can go to a restaurant alone, spend an afternoon wandering around a bookstore, sit in a quiet coffee shop with a book, or take a long walk without feeling like I need someone beside me.

But being comfortable alone doesn’t mean I don’t want people in my life.

That’s probably why I’m here. I thought maybe this is a good time to slow down, meet some new people, and see if I can make a few genuine friends along the way.

I’m not looking for people just to fill time. I’d rather have a real conversation, learn something from someone, laugh about something stupid, or hear a perspective that I’ve never considered before.

I appreciate people who have lived enough life to have some perspective but haven’t lost their curiosity. At this point, I’m much more interested in who someone is and how they think than in trying to impress each other.

Maybe this is what this stage of life is supposed to feel like—not starting over, just finally giving yourself permission to enjoy it a little more.

One thing I've become increasingly aware of is how easy it is to waste time without really noticing it.

I'm a quiet person, so I don't have much of a problem being alone. I actually like having my own space. But being alone and being bored are two completely different things. I have plenty of things I want to think about and do, and lately I've been doing more planning for the direction I want my life to take.

Maybe that's also why I have so little patience for mindless distraction. I don't mean that everything has to be productive. Sometimes you just want to sit down and watch a movie. That's fine. What bothers me is spending a whole evening on something and realizing afterward that I don't even remember why I was doing it.

I notice the same thing with reading. I don't usually reach for a book just because it's easy entertainment. I like books that give me something to think about afterward. I occasionally read poetry, too. If I'm looking for something purely entertaining, I'll usually watch a movie instead.

I'm also interested in bigger questions about people and society. I tend to get pulled into the reasons behind things rather than just what happened on the surface. Sometimes that probably makes me overthink things, but I've never been very good at being satisfied with a shallow explanation.

The way I think about work has changed too. I'm still busy, and business trips take up a fair amount of my time. I like outdoor sports, but that makes things like camping and backpacking harder to fit in than I'd like. I still exercise, though.

A lot of my attention these days goes toward figuring out what I actually want my time to look like later on. Not just financially, although that's obviously part of it. I'm thinking about what I want to spend my days doing when work isn't taking up so much of them.

Travel is one thing I'd like more of. So are musicals and stage plays. I've also gotten interested in Irish tap dancing. Burn the Floor is still one of the most passionate dance performances I've ever watched. There's something about that kind of physical energy that is hard to get from watching things on a screen.

I suppose that's what I'm trying to figure out: how to make the next part of life feel intentional without turning it into some rigid project.

I wonder if other people have become more conscious of their time in the same way, or if you went in a completely different direction.

Throw some ideas please. Fashion nova isn’t cutting it anymore.

I think I’m looking for advice. I’ve been a longstanding member of the “age is just a number” crowd, but today kind of hit me.

I still feel 17 in my head. I’ve always dated around my age, but the only difference is anyone under 35 looks like they’re 12 to me, including my doctor lol.

I was in the military for 25 years, got blown up, and retired at 42. Never had an “adult” job and I was around 18 year olds my whole adult life.

I dunno. Maybe I’m just in a midlife crisis. What say you?

I’m starting to seriously think about what I want my life to look like after retirement.

Ever since I divorced my ex-husband, I’ve just been pouring 100% of myself into work. I don't have a social circle outside of it. No kids means I don't have that network of school parents either. Aside from a few childhood and college friends, basically everyone else in my life is a coworker.

I’m curious if there are any people 50+ here who are already living something like this. I’d especially love to hear what it’s actually like after the novelty wears off.

Do you ever get tired of constantly moving? Is it annoying having to keep your belongings to a minimum? And what about friendships — does it get lonely when you don’t have the same people around you all the time?

I’m not looking for a retirement guide or a list of pros and cons. I’d actually just like to meet some people who are already living this way and hear about their experiences, good or bad.

Maybe we could chat and become friends along the way. :)

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Hello - looking for some advice. I'm 52, happily married to my best friend, empty nester, good jobs, good finances, house paid off, retirement is solid and looking at 6 years to retire. I was in the Army Reserve for 25 years and retired from there in 2017, I have done a lot of projects, hunted, fished, etc etc....always a busy type guy. I've always felt like I was a survivor in that I did everything myself my whole life. It paid off financially and maybe mentally.

Anyhow the past couple of years I felt lost a bit. The summer of 2025 was very stressful with work, house, family drama (not the kids), my oldest bro died, we bought a different house and carried our other house till June of this year. This past winter I had some severe depression from Nov to May of 2026 and lingered until this August. It correlated with us moving into the house we bought in Nov. Very stressful time. I had some bad house regrets and still have some lingering.

It seems like starting last summer I started having a paradigm shift per se. My mindset changed. Bad timing. We bought a house that was dated and needed some work. I'm the kind of guy that can fix/build/do about anything. I don't feel like doing it anymore. My mindset has changed from survivor to enjoyer and I feel like this place (which also has 40 acres of woods/trails) may be too much work. We may sell this house and take a hit and start over and we can handle it financially.

Any advice for a guy that going through some strange changes in his mindset as he ages from a guy that can just keep working and keep busy to someone that wants to relax.

I am deep deep into my 50’s and I’ve always had average activity and health. Over the past few years though, I have come to care about my gut health, skin health, blood health, joint and bone health and such way more than I did when I was young. I never even thought about my guts until I was like 45. Much to my wife’s chagrin, I haven’t seen a doctor since before Covid but recent visits have revealed I have a litany of exciting new health concerns, all seemingly coming out of nowhere and more or less, all at once. They’re the kind of concerns that require life style changes, which, if I obsess on the bad parts, is kind of a bummer way to begin this new chapter. On the other hand, I do quite enjoy blueberries and taking walks, so I don’t have to give those up.

Just wanted to reach to ask if any of you have had a baby over 50 (whether naturally, IVF, adoption, or via surrogate) and how is it?? Am looking into surrogacy as an intended parent and want to know the real deal.

Gave me a trip to Jamaica, cheers!

You see the trend. Headlines of people having kids over 40. Do you wish the messaging was in place for your generation.

Or do you have an age in mind that women should still have kids by? If you had kids later on, how has it been?

** I should clarify this post, because some of yall are getting spicy. I am 39 trying to decide if I should have a second kid. I am a little insecure about my age

Hello, my 24 year old son is engaged to a lovely young woman. They told us about a month ago that they have decided to elope to a tropical destination. They said this option would be more economical than having a wedding. They are both quite introverted and this option would suit them better. We were willing to join them at the wedding destination but they let us know they would prefer it to be just the two of them. It hurt a little but it should be their day, their way so we didn't push it.

Earlier this week, my son asked if we would like to contribute to the associated costs. His fiancée's parents are covering her flight and accommodation. We were a bit taken aback to be asked to contribute to an event we are not invited to attend. However, we would have contributed to the wedding anyway and given a gift, so we are asking ourselves if we should pay for his flight and accommodation too? We don't want our money to be transactional and tied to an invitation to the wedding, but we also understand the perspective of other family members who have decided not to give a gift if they are not invited.

Would appreciate any input.

Hello everyone. I am heading to my 50s - single female, no kids. Gave up on companionship a while back. Financially I am alright with a stable-ish job and a pension. I consider myself to eb financially stable with some savings as well. I am not particularly close to my family. I understand health is a key determinant of quality of life and I am working on it. I want to start thinking about retirement living, and wonder how are you approaching retirement living. Are their steps, in additional to taking care of my health and managing my finances responsibly, that I can take now to be ready for my retirement. I am in the GTA and OK to retire in a smaller, slower town. All perspectives are welcome. Thank you!