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Monday, June 6, 2016

YOU’RE GOOD FOR YOUR AGE

YOU’RE GOOD FOR YOUR AGE
This cranky re-run is from June 2013

“You’re good for your age!”


Growing up with two older brothers I heard this a lot.  Whatever I did, in order to keep me happy, I was told I was good for my age.  Older brothers are like that.  Shoot some hoops, clang the ball off the rim and you hear, “Not bad, you’re good for your age.”  Go bowling and manage to hit a pin, “Wow Joe, that’s good for your age.”  Race your brothers,  lose by a mile and still, “Yeah, but you’re fast for your age.”


I played golf very good for my age; I mowed the lawn good…considering my age. I rode a bike, swam, lifted weights, played football or baseball; I did all these things very good for my age.


And yet.


As I grew older I never excelled at any of these things.  I was OK.  I was pretty good, but within my age I was not much better than average.  I was not good for my age, I was average for my age.


When you are young and told you’re “Good for your age,” you have high expectations.  It is very disappointing to find you are only at best a little above average. 


Eventually you accept reality.  


There is nothing wrong with being average or maybe even a little better than average.  You grow older and you learn to adjust your expectations.  You realize that maybe instead of your brothers telling you that you sucked at something; they were just being nice when they diplomatically told you, “You’re good…for your age.


Last year I was playing golf with my grown son.  I hit several drives onto the fairway almost 200 yards long.  I was a little discouraged as a few years before I could hit the ball 225 to 250. 


My spirits were lifted when my son told me, “You know dad, you’re pretty good…I mean…for your age!”

11 comments:

  1. Sometimes those qualifiers are a kindness, so i'm glad you still golf well for your age!

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  2. Hey,and as we age, we are glad we can get up in the morning, or at any time. People our age, it turns out, are happy as long as they can get out of bed.

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  3. Yep, I've heard this many times and I've said it a few times myself. I'll take it as you do. It's better than being told the truth.

    Have a fabulous day Cranky. ☺

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  4. You write pretty good for your age :)
    R

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  5. you've gone full circle!!

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  6. You make some great points in your blog posts for a writer of your age.

    Darn... I see even before I hit Publish that Rick Watson already thought of this joke. I'm sure I'll get funnier as I get older. I hope this isn't the peak of my humor.

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  7. LOL.....yes, it's bad when your round the bend going the other direction in 'good for your age.'

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  8. And if you live long enough you'll be a true "one of a kind". ;)

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  9. Fishducky took the words out of my mouth...keyboard.

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  10. Just be glad they don't actually name your age--in MONTHS--like people do with toddlers!

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  11. Don't worry, it will happen to them one day. Just be your age, and enjoy.

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