By Trent Rosser

This week I will hit a milestone in my life, I will become another year older. As most of you know, I recently celebrated my 11 year birthday of my sobriety. For my 10 year sobriety, I was ecstatic. It was a major milestone from the person that I was and how far I have come. But this is different. I actually hit the big 5-0. That is right, I have been on this earth for half a century. I am actually dreading the day. Black balloons with saying like “over the hill”. Gifts of walkers and canes. Just another reminder that I am officially old!

Now that I am about to be 50, there are a few benefits. I can now join the AARP. I am sure that they will have discounts for certain things, like hotels, pills, canes and power wheelchairs! No, I'm not bitter at all! (Yes, that is sarcasm). I already get a senior citizen discount at a couple of restaurants. No, I do not ask, they just assume, so instead of correcting them, I go ahead and let them take the 10 percent off of my meal. After all, no need to embarrass them! I can now get a discount on my insurance as well!

But, one of the best things I can now do is let people know that I do not want to go out with them or do something. After all, “I would love to go to the party or concert, but I’m too old and I just need to go to bed.” Speaking of bed, does this mean I need to eat supper at 4 pm and go to bed at 6 pm? Truthfully, I'm game for that. Plus I could use a nap every now and then! If I drop something at the store, I am sure some “young’n” will stoop down and pick it up for me! So yes, there are a few good things about becoming my new age.

The other day, as I was looking in the mirror getting ready for work, I almost didn’t recognize the person staring back at me. My thick brown hair was gone and now it was sprinkled with gray. Same thing with my beard. I have always worn glasses, but my baby blue eyes now have bags under them. My face has wrinkles and lines on it. I used to wake up and was ready to go in a matter of minutes. Now it takes minutes just to get out of bed. Snap, crackle and pop was a tagline for a cereal when I was younger, now it is my bones and joints as I try to get out of bed. My 6 pack abs have been replaced with a small keg. I have also been getting shorter. Yes, it was a very big surprise when I went to the doctor recently and they did my weight and height. I am now at 5 foot and 11 inches. How did I lose 2 inches of height? My stamina and endurance has changed as well. 30 years ago, I would get off from working 8 to 10 hours and then go paint the town red. Come home at 2 in the morning, catch a few zzz’s and be bright eyed and bushy tailed for work at 8am. Now, I get home between 5 and 6 pm and try to hit the bed by 9 or 10. My endurance is also being depleted. I could do manual labor without a break for hours on end. Now, I will take a break at every chance I can get! So my body is changing and it is also something that I must get used to.

Something else has changed throughout the years as well — My sense of style!

Back in the 1990’s I was always decked out. My boss still makes fun of me because he had seen a picture of me when I was about 22 years old. I had my starched wrangler blue jeans, Stetson cowboy hat, pink and black brushpopper shirt, and of course, the ever so stylish blue rope belt. Now, it is quite a bit different. I no longer dress to impress…. I dress to relax. One of the first things I do when I come home is to take off my work pants and work shirt. As soon as I am out of the shower, I will put my pants back on, an undershirt and my slippers. I will even go to the convenience store in my slippers. Before, I wouldn't leave the house without a hat, boots and shirt tucked in. Now when my wife and I go out to eat…. Nice shirt, cowboy hat, blue jeans and decent shirt….. Untucked! At least it isn’t like the 70s with corduroy shirts and bell bottom pants or pants pulled up to my nipples and black socks with a slip on shoes. I guess that will come when I hit 60 or 70.

So yes, I do have a little animosity about hitting this milestone in my life, but I also realize that there is nothing I can do about it. People and things around the world will turn 50 this year. We will all handle it in different ways. I will not hold a grudge and dwell on the past, and wonder where I would be if I hadn’t been drinking. Instead I will embrace the future and continue with my life. I will not waste any minute of it. I know that I do not look as young as I did before, I have scars now, physically and mentally, but I will use that as a springboard for the future. I still have my baby blue eyes, and my hair is not totally gray. So, I will starch my blue jeans, find an old brushpopper shirt, throw on my Stetson cowboy hat, and tighten up my old rope belt. Yes, I will look quite a bit different that I did back 30 years ago, but I know I will look as sexy as ever.

Then again, maybe I should lose the brushpopper shirt and rope belt. I guess that is another good thing about getting older — you really don’t care what other people think. As long as you are comfortable and a sincerely a nice person, you can always age with grace. I, of course, will probably age like sour milk, but that is ok also, after all, I know that I will become the old man on the front porch yelling at the neighborhood kids, “GET OFF MY YARD”!