Optimism and ageing Options

[JulieMarie]

Does anyone else feel as they get older that they are more pessimistic? I think that when one is in in 20s or 30s everything seems somehow brighter but in 40s and definitely by 50s (where I am now) life seems rather less hopeful. I suppose that in mid-life one can see both the beginning and the end of life and that is really depressing. What do others feel about this?

[karslima]

Does anyone else feel as they get older that they are more pessimistic? I think that when one is in in 20s or 30s everything seems somehow brighter but in 40s and definitely by 50s (where I am now) life seems rather less hopeful. I suppose that in mid-life one can see both the beginning and the end of life and that is really depressing. What do others feel about this?

No, I don't feel less optimistic as I get older. My Mum died aged 53 when I was 30, so at that time I concluded that I was already past mid-life. Now, in my forties I feel as if I have enough patience for elderly people and yet still enough energy for young people. So I feel happy about being middle-aged.

Society does treat you differently. I have to laugh when I see exercise classes advertised as for the over forties when I already attend a class full of people half my age.

I have a friend who is in her seventies and she tells me that life gets better as you get older. It seems that middle age is a difficult time and once people have adjusted to it they decide to make the most of the rest of their lives.