TWO BURSTS OF AGING (or “44 and 60, Bill”)
Pffft! Thank you Captain Obvious!
Tell me, when did you decide it was worth studying what we all have known since the dawn of civilization? What we all really want to know is
why pickle jar lids won’t open,
why payments outlast the vehicle,
why college kids can’t figure out student loans, etc.
Almost everyone can answer the following questions without spending money on a study
14-16 is the age when …
24 is the age when …
35 is the age when …
46 is the age when …
Even better, everyone has an opinion on the following
At this chronological age a person should become serious about getting up and going to work without being told
At this age a person should be able to live independently of his or her parents
At this age a person should not dress like a teenager
At this age a person should know not to talk politics at a party
At this age a person should be a safe driver
At this age a person should know its a bad idea to get drunk at a wedding reception
OK, what should we study?
Clearly there is an uptick in the number of people under 50 who are experiencing colon cancer. I think we know the reason. Wasn’t it about 40 years ago that school lunches went from (processed foods) canned green beans, mashed potatoes, and a hunk of meatloaf or slice of turkey breast … to (ultra processed foods) pizza or nuggets and fries? The reason for young cancer is government-run schools. Then they moved to inedible foods which almost no child will touch, leaving most children so hungry that they warmed up pizza rolls the moment they got home. But they’ll blame it on the parents anyway. They always do.
Good home-made foods are not difficult to make, but they do take planning and clean pans in which to cook them. The directions for cooking pasta are impossible for a single serving, by the way … every package of elbow macaroni lists exactly how to cook all 16 ounces, but not how to cook 3 ¾ ounces. Like 16 ounces is a single serving?
I’m also worried about scorched coffee. Home brewed is set at a much lower temperature. The expensive stuff, which can cost as much as a used car payment, is super heated. Many young adults are living their lives drinking that stuff and then they can’t afford their student loans. I’m guessing they will soon find a link between scorched coffee and colon cancer.
I’m not worried about microplastics. Those we have had since before 1920… as long as we have had rubber tires. The USA buys 300 million tires a year and recycles only a small fraction. Where do you think all those tire plastics go? Over 70% of tire microplastics caused by tire wear end up in road runoff. Most of the runoff ends up in our rivers. That’s the water that our cows drink and is used to irrigate our crops. That hasn’t changed much in 3/4 a century. Of course, making cars undrivable will change it (EV everyone?) [Hey! Let’s make cars which won’t allow the owner to go more than 100 miles and see if that changes driving habits!!!]
What were we talking about?
Bursts of aging at “44 and 60, Bill.”
Yes! Um. OK.
We just received our quarterly college journal. In there we read of the death of a college friend. Dementia seems to have been the cause. It is a bit overwhelming to think about this. Around the time she was diagnosed I was beginning to plan my retirement. She had been brilliant and resourceful.
Another friend is dying of cancer. It is clear that the affects are not all external. Every organ in the body is fighting this losing battle. At some point soon one of those organs will fail, and then there will be a cascade effect. The other organs won’t be able to function without the failing one.
It makes sense that age 60 is when we begin to slow down and grow wrinkles and start to look forward to those doctor visits we once detested. Do you want to hear about my gall bladder surgery? Or my slow bowels? Or the fact that I can’t always sleep through the night anymore? Of course things change. They always have. Just read the Psalms and you can watch King David age right before your eyes. In the book of I Kings, if a king lived to ripe old age you can read about all his ailments. The writers held nothing back. We don’t have to pay researchers to study this, it has been well known for millennia.
While there is physical life there is hope, but no one can live forever in this world. Fortunately for both friends they trusted in something greater than their ability to breathe. They believed that they were created for more than this life. When you believe that you know that this life is merely a rehearsal for eternity. They prepared to be greeted warmly by their Creator.
What will these brilliant scientists study next? The value of foot wear?
[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere.
ALSO, Don is always open to offer his thoughts on various topics. If you have a specific request, you can let him know in a comment; he reads – and replies to – them all. ~ Sherry]
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