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!”