PROOFS OF AGING

PROOFS OF AGING

I have written about the signs and symptoms of Aging, the Challenge of Aging, Graceful Aging and many other interesting Aging topics. Now, I was experiencing another Aging aspect – the Proofs of Aging.

For years I somehow tried to conceal my age by lying, behaving, dressing,
talking and acting younger than my age. I went to the point of wearing a toupee. What was now happening was something more interesting as I was beginning to discover the genuine proofs of Aging.

This was the first time I wasn’t able to attend the first day of the ‘Misa de Gallo’. Not because it was too cold or too early or any other alibis but simply because I was coughing like a hungry dog. The kind of coughing that always turned of seatmates especially during dawn masses.

With the introduction last year of “Simbang Gabi sa Gabi” at 8:00 p.m. I was able to complete the nine day masses. This year I was simply indispose due to scandalous coughing episodes. So scandalous were the attacks that I needed to walk to the comfort room, every time it happened, to void.

The Parish Priest must have noticed my conspicuous absence that he texted me inquiring if I was sick. I replied that I was ok except for the messy coughing that I didn’t want any other churchgoers to be turned off. So, for the first time since I reached the age of reason I failed to attend the “Simbang Gabi".

Aside from the scandalous coughing experience I sometimes could feel a kind of giddiness every now and then. The giddiness made me feel unbalanced as if I was going to fall anytime. It could be dangerous and risky for me while walking around. My giddiness could easily be solved by using a walking stick but again I still want to pretend I was very healthy and strong in spite of the obvious proof of aging. Other proofs were easily manifested such as the mess at mealtime and frequent lapses of memory. I could still handle the lapses as I could still regularly function at the netcafe. More difficult to manage is the constant falling of my denture even when not eating because my gums have receded so much they can no longer hold my dentures.

Everyday other proofs keep on popping-up as when I met someone so familiar but I just couldn’t decipher who he was or inadvertently thought that someone was somebody else. Lose of bladder control was also getting more frequent. It could sometimes be embarrassing and I wondered how many more years, how far and how long these proofs of aging would show. But what was important I thought was that I was ready to face the consequences having faith that God was guiding me. And I won’t mind if I would finally need to use a walking stick or a personal supporter to help me do my chores. There must be a way to face Eternity.