Well, I’m about to have one of those landmark birthdays. In a few days I will turn 70 years old and, quite honestly, I’m not handling it well. It’s got me a bit depressed.
I have no justification for being down. I feel great. By the grace of God I have no physical limitations. Just finished my annual physical exam whereupon my doctor pronounced me fit as a fiddle. I have an incredible wife, loving family, wonderful friends. I lack for nothing.
Yet, there’s something about that number. Why is it that 70 sounds so much older than 69? I was okay with 30, 40, 50, and even 60. But 70? Ugh.
I made the mistake of taking out my phone and asking Siri what the average life expectancy of a male in the United States is. She came back with an answer of 76.3 years. Gulp. That rocked my world.
So there you have it. In your 70’s you have to start seriously contemplating the big finale, the end of the road, the home stretch. I’ve reached the stage where, whenever I learn of the passing of an acquaintance or a celebrity, the first words out of my mouth are “Gee, how old was he?” All too often the reply comes back “Oh, he was seventy- ______”.
I have made absolutely no arrangements or plan for my final resting place. I’ve never wanted to think about it. Do I want to be buried or cremated? Who wants to ponder that? How do you even make that decision? On one hand, it would be kind of nice to have a grave with a nice headstone, a place where my kids and grandkids could occasionally visit, a cute epitaph like “I told you I was sick”.
But families travel their own path and one day mine may move on and leave me to the worms and the erosion of the wind.
Cremation seems cheaper and less hassle for all involved. Maybe my ashes could be split and lie in separate urns on the mantels of my son and daughter. Until the cat knocks it down and spills me all over the living room carpet, at which point I wind up getting sucked into a vacuum cleaner and deposited into the trash.
Maybe Michael Jackson had the right idea. I could be frozen in a hyperbolic chamber and reawakened when they find a cure for what killed me.
Nah, that won’t work. I get the chills when someone turns on a ceiling fan.
(Deep sigh) All this thinking about one’s demise can make you feel forlorn. Dang 70’s. It’s your fault.
Wait a minute….I just found another article on life expectancy. It says because of medical advances, the chances of a man reaching 80 are now about 62 percent. And the chances of reaching 90 have doubled from 50 years ago. Says here one of every seven Americans is over the age of 80!
Wow. That’s more like it. Looks like there’s a whole new chapter yet to be written. I feel much better. Guess I’ll put away that phone number for the cemetery office for awhile.
Happy Birthday to me! Anybody want to go jogging?
Happy Birthday Ken. 70 is a good number. Just remember you are as young as you feel!!
Ken, you’re the youngest 70 year old I’ve ever met! You’ve contributed to the lives of so many…more than you’ll ever know! That includes my own, in so many ways through the years, but none more impactful than when I was a junior high kid doing a research paper, and you took time out of your busy schedule at Channel 13 to thoughtfully answer a few of my questions as we sat in the break room there up on Red Mountain. As a hustling, bustling sports caster, you were larger than life, a local celebrity who came into our living room every night at 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00. And you took time for me… You’ll never know what that meant! (Although secretly I also was hoping to get a glimpse of Pam Huff…that didn’t happen.)
But that was only the beginning. I’ve had the chance to know you ever since, seeing your heart and compassion for people through your involvement in our church, and in the time you lovingly give to the incredible folks at Independence Place…if the world only had a few more Ken Lasses this would be a much better place.
And I’m just one person. I’m confident throngs of others could go way beyond these accounts to testify to you being one of the good guys the Lord put here to walk among us.
So from this “young” 48 year old to a “young” 70 year old, I appreciate your impact on our world, and am counting on another quarter century out of you (at least)!
Happy 70th Birthday Mr Lass!! I made it so far to 72 so you have a lot to look forward too
Ken,
If family genes mean anything, you will be among the living for quite some time! I had your depression when I turned 25 – ever since, I just don’t worry about it. Happy birthday! I’m not that far behind you, my friend.
70 is the new 50? You are still young. Have a great day, week, month and year.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday. I passed the 70 mark 5 years ago. 70’s are a wonderful time😊😊 A suggestion for you. Once a week hang out with someone in their 80’s and is fat. It makes me feel young and thin😊👍👊
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday Ken. Love reading your perspective on life. I too have a birthday coming up. Happy New Year
Great post and Amen! Enjoyed every word.
Happy Birthday… I am ahead of you in years and also blessed with good health.
Happy Birthday old friend!
You still need to plan ahead….for your family’s sake!
You are so funny! I read your blog to John, and he shared a story he had heard. There was a trust client at the bank who wanted his ashes spread from an airplane into a beautiful wooded area. Unfortunately, the ashes blew back into the plane and ended up in a shop vac back at the hanger.
By the way, I understand about milestone birthdays. Changing decades is daunting! 🙂
Love your blog, Ken. And nearing 70 myself, it is a number that daunts even my best resolve. Hang in there. It’s all a part of the circle of life. Happy Holidays!
Ricks dad is 98 and in good health. There is hope for all of us either way😉
Happy Birthday! Hope you have a fantastic day!🎉🎁🎂🎈
Happy birthday to you, Ken.
I have always enjoyed you, on the news and remember to a time when we were once neighbors.
I had a landmark birthday this year myself and I am thinking of how very blessed I am and have been my whole life.
I enjoyed reading your post and sure hope that your God given birthday was one for the books.
I hope you were able to make a few great memories with love ones and you are truly full of great joy..
Lesia Newman
Happy Birthday old friend! And you are not old!!! Mom is still with us at the age of 95 and periodicaly I ask questions like “what is it like knowing you are so old and could pass on any day now?” Her reply is “you just don’t think about it”. Being her caregiver for a long time now (I really want to go home at some point!) and for her having been on and off of Hospice a few times, I try to act like she is not sick and old. Sometimes it works. We talk “ahead”, plan next year’s garden, should we paint the kitchen a new color, maintenance items that need to take place in the spring, etc. That is what keeps her going I think. We cook together (and it takes a very long time, especially peeling potatoes), talk about people in old photos in the family albums, and that sort of thing. I ask for her help when sewing on a button or stitching up a hem, etc. – even though I could do it quicker myself. Her face lights up!! So my point is you just need to keep going and doing the things you enjoy! Think ahead, plan vacations, work on favorite hobbies, cherish your family, make every day matter! You are healthy now so you don’t have to worry about that either. You are truly blessed, really you are. Continue to enoy all of your loved ones and never put off special things you want to do. And yes, 70 really is the new 50. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT. And don’t get cremated – I think that would hurt a lot?? Maybe get stuffed and put on display like Trigger for the world to enjoy – because you are special!
Always love your blogs!!! I passed 70 eight years ago but the realization is temporarily depressing!
Your mom lived to 103?? You have great genes so barring trains and epidemics you have a good chance to beat the odds!
Keep blogging and jogging!!!
You are a blessing to many and I am so glad we were blessed to have you for a Sun School teacher! We miss you and Sharon but the road to GA works well for 70 year olds so come see us!
Ken Happy Birthday
It is easy to get low as age keeps creeping up on us.
Just look up at God an smile
He’s in control
HAPPY NEW YEAR
AN GOD BLESS
Could be you will be around awhile yet! Your grandmother lived to be 104 and your sweet mother passed away recently at 103-so your young yet. There is still time to plan.
yes perhaps a bit creepy – but still humerous as a thought. I mean no disrespect though; just funny. My time is in April – OMG hard to imagine we are getting up in years.