Why do we become ashamed of our age?

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My blog today has absolutely nothing to do with WA or affiliate marketing or the internet, or technology for that matter. I call it a "life question" and I have chosen to ask it here because of all the communities to which I belong, both on and offlne, this is the most diverse. Therefore, I believe it provides a good sample for me to do this survey.

There is a common habit that as people grow older, they are less willing in reveal their age. I also believe it's more common among female folk. At 36 and soon to be 37 (2 July), I had started to veer into that direction. When ramdom people asked my age, I began questioning their motives. However, last Wednesday, I was involved in a terrible vehicular accident that could have taken my life in a matter of seconds.

Following my accident, I realise more than ever how precious and fragile life is and I'm over-joyed to be alive and to have lived for 36 going into 37 years. I want to celebrate these years and indeed I plan on doing so with my family and friends come July. I want everybody to know how long I have been alive. On 2 July, God's willing, I will be eager to share with everyone, that I have been blessed with 37 years of life

But why, why did it take such an unfortunately incident to bring me to this point? Why was I trying to hid my age initially. Why do we, as we grow older, hesitate to say how old we are? Why do we become ashamed of our age?

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Recent Comments

27

one of my favourite words is "prelapsarian" which means (roughly) someone who has not yet realized that they will at some point, die...which is where cheick is coming from- but hey she has got insight, so she doesn't count!!
Death also has humour:
“Death's got an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry interrupted again.
"So he can sneak up on people," said Ron. "Sometimes he gets bored of running at them, flapping his arms and shrieking...” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Celebrate away celebrate life.

Andy (56)

Celebrate life indeed 56 year old. Be bless

Liked this

Im nearly 37 - next week actually and I have always been like eeek how did that happen but when I read a story like yours I should be happy about it. I guess it is just a female thing

Yes you should. I think we once people come to accept the reality of life that we cannot say young will get old (unless God forbid we die young) we will age with more psychological and emotional peace.
So you were born just about 6 weeks befor me, nice!. Are you planning a celebration for next week? If you lived nearer, I'd surely have invited you to mine :-).

Hi Mustard Seed, The perception is that vibrancy leaves us as we get older. Society predjidices the aged, in many cases has no respect for wisdom and experience. just look at the media, who jump on females in public life, the moment they start to age, making unkind remarks about how they've aged. Some employers are reali/ing that the more mature workers, the boomers are more reliable workers, In Australia, our Government is pushing the retirement out to 70, (they want the oldies to work unil they drop so thy don't have to paynthemnthe pension, like itvwas geneations ago. Only problem is Ageisim in the workplace, that and the fact with some jobs, the hard labourous ones, it's very hard to undertake them in your seventies and beyond), as a result odyhe way much younger politicians have mismanaged the place. Blessings Bethamy.

Interesting. Hiding our age does not stop us from getting older though.

I think it is peoples ego's that get in the way of telling people your age. I am 45 and I don't mind who knows as I am 20 year inside lol. In fact when I look in the mirror I often say "Who's that old git looking back at me" lol. Thanks Alan

Good for you. I do agree that people's ego have a lot to do with it.

Well I am young(18). So I have that feeling of immortality since I am in my prime. I am definitely not ashamed of my age since I am still young. The reason why people don't like to share their age, in my opinion, is because of looks. Age defines looks and people always strive to look young. If your old you don't want to admit that your old. It is human nature for people to be proud of being young and sad of being old. Because young people are the future and old people are the past. People say the older you are the more wise and that can be true but that is not the reason for that saying. That saying, in my opinion, is mostly a way for older people to hide there insecurities that they don't matter in anymore. I see it that if an old person talks about how wise they are then that means that they don't believe they matter and try to come up with a way to matter. The question you asked crosses multiple spheres and dimensions but it all comes down to human nature in the end.

Thanks for your reply. Enjoy your youth while it lasts.

I believe it's a personal choice. I always believe you're as old as you feel. If someone ask about my age I will tell them.

Good for you. Yes, it is a personal choice.

Glad that you survived your accident. I don't tend to tell people my age simply because people make assumptions about people based on their age. :) Beverley

Thanks for your reply. I've reached that stage that I don't lose a moment of sleep about what people assume about me. I've come to realise that regardless of what, whether it's good, bad or indifferent, people will have an opinion and after all, that's their entitlement. Be bless

LOL - I reached that stage a long, long time ago!

You're never too old to set new goals or to dream new dreams. As you get older, you will understand more and more that in life, it's not important what you look like or what you own, it's all about the person you've become. Blessing my friend

You did not answer the question but thanks for your contribution.

OMG, I have 69 and I'm really not ashamed of my age.

Two points here. Firstly, you are at the stage where people generally become proud of their age once again. Secondly, I remain convinced that women are more likely than men to conceal their age.

Even when I had 30, 40 or fifty years, never was ashamed, but yes I'm a man.

It's true. On the other hand, we begin to respect people after they pass the age of 80 or so and then they are not so ashamed to tell their age.

The thing is, when we are young (children, adolescents, early adults) we are eager to tell our age cause we are growing up and getting big and becoming independent and that all a big deal. Then we get to that mid-life period (mid 30s, 40s, 50s) and our age become a secret. Then we begin to get old and suddenly, our age is something to be proud of again.

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