I used to think that aging is a horrible experience. I remember a conversation about it with some friends not so long time ago. One friend shared that she’s afraid of this process because of so many reasons like wrinkles, the not so 20/20 vision and everything you can imagine that affects our corporeal existence.

Few months from now, I’m going to experience the natural process of adding one year in my present age. For the past years, months before my birthday I’ve had mixed feelings. I am either scared because I’m getting older or excited because it’s another chapter to explore. Remember, when we were young we always wanted to fast-forward the time because we dreamed of becoming adults. We were like trapped inside a child’s body and in our minds we were wandering in the world of a professional, a party animal or a married person. But now I am an adult, every time I see a toddler on the elevator or a student going to school, I always have those thoughts of ‘I wish I’m a child again or a student with all my daily allowances’. My dream before of a fast-forward time is not just happening but time is moving so quick that sometimes I feel that I can’t cope with it anymore.

I suddenly remember when I was working as an assistant in a school for special children in London, the entire class went on a one day camping trip. It was my first day. I was with three teachers and about seven teenagers with special needs. One was recovering from a traumatic experience, the other is a cancer survivor and others just need special support and attention. Everyone was so excited because of the wall climbing activity. Once the students started to climb the wall, we all showed our support by cheering at them, shouting that they could do it and expressing encouraging words to uplift their spirits. After the students, the teachers were dared to try it. But only one of them, a forty something woman took the challenge. I, myself, did not want to try it because I didn’t think that time that I was adventurous enough to try something like wall climbing. I was a loser during that day. So the teacher started to climb, everyone was in awe, shocked perhaps or even worried if she could actually do it. Surprisingly, she made it to the top.

After the trip, we all went back to school and everyone was starting to go home. It was a long walk for me.
I was walking towards the bus stop when I heard someone calling me. It was the teacher who climbed the wall. She offered me a lift. And we started a short conversation before she dropped me in the bus stop:

Mine2write: Ma’am, the students were surprised earlier that you actually took the challenge.
Teacher: I did not even realize I could actually do it.
Mine2write: But why did you try it anyway? I thought you were just joking.
Teacher: Bloody hell! (laughing) I’m forty something already and I thought, this could be my last adventure in life. So I tried. Besides love, THE OLDER WE GET, THE MORE WE BECOME AWARE OF OUR MORTALITY. Who knows, there’s no other wall climbing chance again.

I was on the bus and started to reflect what she said. She’s right. And maybe, aging is not a bad thing at all, it’s just one way of reminding us that we don’t hold our own time, it is only borrowed. So instead of lamenting about getting older, it’s better to celebrate the years that have passed and the wisdom that comes with it and also welcome the coming years knowing that we have new adventures in life to conquer.

P.S. I’m inspired to write again because of Ma’am Mac. I love reading your notes in FB ma’am.

WARNING: This is not a reminder that my birthday is approaching, it’s JUST A BLOG ENTRY. (laughing)