(#6041) I will tell you getting old sucks!

      When it hurts everywhere all the time is when you know that you are getting older. Okay, not everywhere but too many places. The things I did as a younger person are now nearly impossible for me to do. Even the simple muscling of things is now so limited that I must calculate ease of utility into my muscling plan. The other day when I was drilling into concrete I was in my usual position of putting forward pressure on the drill. Afterwards and still this moment I feel like I have been hit with a cricket bat on my back left side. There are no bruises to see but inside my body is like a huge strain. The torque I mustered must have strained my innards in ways that I must now reconcile.
     In the past no such problems ever occurred when drilling into concrete. I know as I am aging that I am losing strength but I didn't think I was losing my dexterity as well. So now I know that all those chances i took as a youngster are over and lucky me for at least experiencing them when I physically could. For all those who are planning for their golden years before having fun let me add some caution. Your body may well betray you before you can retire. This is the third day since I worked at my neighbors and the ache and still sharp pain is present. Not only do I get more pain for my efforts but the healing time is now much longer.
     Of course there are benefits to getting older and wisdom being one of those benefits. What wisdom I have I will now apply to how I work and what projects I can actually accomplish. I am a bit old school in that I usually work alone and therefore have to be creative in my muscling tasks. I realize that I am going to have to call on help in the future because all those decades of learning framing crafts have found a soft spot in my heart. I enjoy the math and the work with my hands and tools. But I do not enjoy the new found pain that is quicker to show up and longer to stay.