The other day, just as I had donned my swim trunks and loaded my locker, I reached into my gym bag for my towel and swim goggles. As I grabbed them, like I’ve done for nearly a year and a half, I felt my goggles snap. It was pretty obvious I wasn’t going to be using them, ever again. Wow, my go-to goggles for the past four years. Luckily, I found a pair in the lost and found and was able to swim. Disaster averted.
It did get me thinking, though. What happens, especially after 60, when you push too hard or too quickly and something snaps. You’ll know when it happens, just as I did with my goggles. True, they were worn out and it wasn’t a question of if, but when, and that’s exactly the scenario we face in our final decades. If we’re not careful (I mean, let’s err on the side of caution), something is bound to give out. A knee, maybe, or a shoulder? What about an elbow or a wrist or hip? Even your abs aren’t bullet proof. Are we doomed? Of course not. Seriously, though, we (those of us over 60) need to acknowledge our limitations and protect what we’ve been blessed with so all our hard work can be enjoyed for many years to come.
Did I buy a new pair of goggles. Sure did. And, someday I may need a new knee or a new hip (like my friend and fellow gym rat), but hopefully I can postpone that day and carefully enjoy strength and functionality for many years to come.
Swim day! 70 laps in the pool, 15 mins on the bike, 7 mins on the elliptical and 4 mins on the rowing machine.
