Aging is adapting 

Back in January, when I reviewed my previous year’s columns, I thought I’d focused on aging a bit too often. So, I decided to not mention it in 2025. Well, here we are in December and based on comments I’ve heard this year, quite a few readers liked my aging observations. I guess we all are doing it, and because I’m ahead of most of you on this subject, my forewarnings were appreciated. Thanks for your compliments. 

My primary goal in writing these columns is to share information that’s hopefully helpful. The past year and a half have made me confront the uncomfortable fact that I’m mortal. That statement is only a slight hyperbole. I’ve been fortunate to continue living a very healthy life while most of my classmates and also most of the fit young athletes I played sports with into our twenties and thirties are no longer with us. I was actually still playing competitive full court basketball with guys 40 years younger until the pandemic shut that down for all of us. 

When I was 11 years old, an extra bone grew in my foot and surgery was required to remove it. I mention that because even though I’ve had a very active, adventurous, physical lifestyle, that was my only surgery. No major injuries or surgeries since I was 11 years old! Until the last year or so. It’s been a real wake-up call for Mr. Immortality. 

Why should you care about my personal data? Because most of you reading this are younger. Someday you will deal with similar issues and some of them will fit this perspective: my recent challenges are just temporary inconveniences and a result of living a long, full life. That’s a good thing! I’m not going downhill; I’m still dealing with living. 

Hopefully some of you will use this reminder of the future to start, or continue, healthy behavior (exercise and nutrition) choices. That will increase the likelihood your future challenges will be in the temporarily inconvenient category instead of something more serious. A healthy, fit person can handle things that others cannot. Then you too will have a longer than average healthy life. And when it seems like it’s one thing after another, remind yourself — it IS, and always has been, one thing after another as long as we’re alive. 

Those friends I mentioned earlier didn’t have to deal with a lot of my current, and future, issues because their lives are over. My specifics are just inconvenient. Nuisances. Not life threatening. Aging is adapting. Thankful man. 

Example: For decades, I’ve enjoyed lifting heavier weights rather than lighter ones with more repetitions. Can’t do that for a while, but my profession requires I stay in excellent physical shape so I’m taking advantage of this time to refocus on improving range-of-motion and mobility using bodyweight calisthenics (pushups, pullups, core isometrics, etc.). This will prevent muscle atrophy and continue improving my fitness in ways I probably would never have taken the time to do. Aging is adapting. 

When I write these columns, I obviously don’t know if they speak to readers in ways I want them to. I don’t know your age or whether this even sounds relevant to someone in, say, your 30s or 40s. It probably wouldn’t have been relevant to me just five years ago because I was still indestructible. While I’m not going to say “take my advice,” I’ll just suggest an additional, or even virginal, tattoo so it’ll be in your armor in case your memory has forgotten this well intentioned column. Yes, it’s the headline. 

Agree? Disagree? Brian Cole welcomes your viewpoints on his columns. He is a regional, national and international award-winning columnist. He welcomes your viewpoints by email at Brian5995999@msn.com.