How old do you feel?

If you didn’t know your true age, and you didn’t see yourself in the mirror, how old do you think you’d say you are?

Most people would probably say early 20s. By then, we feel more like adults, but we know there’s still a lot to learn, even if we don’t want to admit it. We aren’t kids any more, but we still have some tendencies toward acting like children. We are becoming who we really are as a person.

• This is an interesting story about subjective age.

Then what happens when you’re no longer in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s?

At some point, age catches up and you feel older physically. Joints wear out. Things start to ache or sag. But mentally, you’re still 23, right?

A milestone birthday

I remember my mom’s 50^th birthday. My sister and I threw a surprise party for her at her favorite restaurant and invited her female friends, relatives, church members and co-workers. It was well-attended, and, I believe, a complete surprise. My sister designed lapel pins that said something to the effect of, “I am witness to the greatest event: Rhonda’s 50^th birthday!”

When I was going through stuff earlier this year, downsizing my life, I ran across photos from the event. It was fun to see them. We all looked so much younger — but that was 21 years ago, so we were much younger.

I’m now my mother’s age when those photos were taken. While I didn’t think of her as old then (I still don’t – funny how your own age plays with your perspective!), it’s hard to believe she is the age I am now. I guess it’s because I don’t feel 50. I’m sure she didn’t feel 50, either.

Yes, I know age is just a number. But we also have finite time. In the big scheme, my life is at least half over.

So, how old do you feel? And what are you going to do about it?

Me? I’m 23, and I’m going to explore the world.

Be a Better Writer Tip

You can use questions effectively in your writing. If you’re writing from the first-person perspective, as I am here, and addressing the audience directly — using you, your, I, my, mine – it’s easy to create a familiarity. “So, how old do you feel? And what are you going to do about it?” I want readers to reflect on their answers.

If writing from a third-person perspective, as this paragraph shows, questions might be more rhetorical or analytical in nature. “How old do readers feel? And what will they do about it?” Those questions don’t speak directly to the reader. Rather, it might make the reader think about other readers and how they might answer.

When using questions, consider your writing style and what sort of response you want to elicit from readers.