"As she strolled through the family rose gardens watching the sun rise, she felt happier than she had ever been. 'Not only am I perfect,' she said to herself, ' I am probably the first perfect person in the whole long history of the universe. Not a part of me could stand improving, how lucky I am to be perfect and rich and sought after and sensitive and young and...'
Young?
The mist was rising around her as Adela began to think. Well of course I'll always be sensitive, she thought, and I'll always be rich, but I don't quite see how I'm going to manage to always be young. And when I'm not young, how am I going to stay perfect? And if I'm not perfect, well, what else is there? What else indeed?"
-William Goldman, The Princess Bride
When I was 15 years old I horrified the leader of the girl's bible study by telling her that I wanted to die before I was 40. I didn't want to get old. I have no idea why we were discussing this.
Amy assured me that in a few years forty would seem young. Ok, so it doesn't seem young yet, but dying rather than being forty has lost its appeal.
Even so, watching the old Amish people cycle around the parking lot this afternoon, I couldn't help f eeling that being old has to be pretty bad. I feel the same way whenever I visit old relatives. They just seem so disconnected from everything even when, as these people did, they live near their families and friends.
Yeah, that's it. Just that some Amish people made me feel scared of being old and that reminded me of a book quote.
11 comments:
I love love love love love that book.
Yes! And the first chapter was completely not in the movie!
But I can see where you're coming from on the not wanting to be old. I think I could stand to be old, but I don't want to have half my mind gone while my body's still here... Wait! That's already me! I'm okay w/ getting old, then.
lol - well I don't think I could say my mind is all here, but I wouldn't want people to hate having me around because I mumble so much no one can understand me and am so deaf I can't hear what they're saying and even if I could I wouldn't remember who they were or what I wanted to tell them.
That would be pretty depressing.
On a happier note - I love love love love that book too.
And - it is one of the few books where I really like how they made it into a movie. Partially because William Goldman (immortal genius that he is) wrote the screenplay as soon as he finished the book. Partially because they're both perfect - just the way they are.
I think that it would be terrible to have, for instance, Alzheimer's, and forget myself, my family... all that. Other than that, I'm not horrified about growing old.
Yes. Alzheimers is also kind of in the back of my mind. My brother and I have a 1/3 chance of getting it.
:(
Eek!
Melody... our clothing hasn't arrived yet.
40 seems younger every day....
Jon: 40 seems younger every day....
That's b/c you're approaching it! Not to worry, you're not horribly old yet.
:)
I actually think life gets better as you age. At least, that's been my experience.
It's all a matter of perspective. With age comes wisdom, right!??!
lol, maybe.
I think I've always been scared of being old. Even when I was a kid the idea of growing up seemed horrible because grown-ups didn't enjoy anything interesting!
Plus - all adults tell you to enjoy your childhood while you can because you'll always wish you were a kid again.
Bill Waterson said that he believes people who have nostalgia for childhood don't remember what it was like to be a child.
I think I agree. I love being adult. I'm not really feeling the whole wanting to be a kid again thing.
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