By Wilson Love
Sixty five years passed and then it happened: senior citizenship. Yep, as of last month, I am officially an “old guy”. That “Old Guys Rule” T-shirt in the bottom drawer is finally going to see some action.
But hey, wait a minute! Houston, we have a problem. I don’t feel old. In fact, I don’t feel any older than I did a year ago, or five years ago for that matter. Sure, I look my age (depending on who you ask), but what do looks have to do with anything? “Just because there’s snow on the roof doesn’t mean there’s no fire in the furnace”.
As silly as it sounds, this whole senior citizen thing took me by surprise. Three years ago, when I was turning 62, a friend asked if I was going to wait till age 65 to collect Social Security. I hadn’t given it any thought. Then, just a few weeks ago, another friend asked what supplement I had. I really didn’t know for a minute if he was asking about vitamins, or…what? Then he held up a plastic card with the name of an insurance company on it.
So yes, I’ve done the required Medicare sign-up now and I can recommend Byron at Smoky Mountain Group, who made that process easy for a country boy, turned senior citizen, to understand. Do I plan to need medical attention? No. I haven’t seen a doctor in fifteen years. I don’t plan to have a flat tire either, but there’s a spare and a jack in the truck.
The “number crunchers” say that over three and a half million of us Americans reached the 65 mark during this past year. I don’t know what other types will do, but as an outdoorsman I’m going to keep on keeping on.
The woods and the water still call me back for more adventure. The challenge of scouting a new stream or ridgeline awaits me. I refuse to consider that, because of too many birthdays, I should not do now what I have always done.
At this writing, I’ve deer hunted four days more this season than last, and it is not over yet. Come spring, my little bunch of seniors plan to turkey hunt two states, same as last year. And, there will be as much fishing in fresh and saltwater as we can fit on the calendar.
Does any of this sound like bragging? Not at all. I’m thankful to God and humbled by the blessing of good health and longevity. Killing the big buck or gobbler doesn’t motivate me anymore. Those who stand over me, young and old, flipping through countless images of their trophies have missed the point entirely.
Our outdoor excursions are an end, in themselves, not a means to validate ourselves by a kill or a catch. If just “getting out” isn’t enough satisfaction – unless we make meat or have a photo op – then maybe we need to get honest and ask ourselves why we do what we do.
I firmly believe that a gracious attitude has everything to do with enjoying the outdoors as seniors. The seventy- and eighty-somethings I know (who still venture out) carry an excellent spirit along with their rod and gun. When they needed to strike a different pace as seniors, they wisely moderated. One cool thing about the supposed “second childhood” is that speed yields to fulfillment.
If you have let the easy chair and remote capture you, escape and return to the wildside. God bless the Bucket List, which isn’t getting any shorter. In fact, it is growing. If it wasn’t my Bucket List, I’d think things were getting added to it when I’m asleep. Ice fishing? Alligator hunting?
See you on the trail.
Wilson Love is Owner/Operator of The Practical Outdoorsman, a retail and consignment store.
