Accepting My “Boomer-osity”

It wasn’t all that long ago when I discovered that some folks were using the expression “Ok, Boomer,” to express a bit of disdain for the older generation.  Apparently, when we make comments about what our life was like or how “hard” we had it (and honestly, I did walk 14 miles to school once, uphill both ways), an acceptable response is “Ok, Boomer.”  I guess that means, “We hear you and you’re tiresome.”  Or something to that effect. 

               But the truth is, getting older does come with it some advantages.  Also, it comes with some hard-earned wisdom.  And I, for one, think it’s our sworn duty to impart that wisdom to the youngers among us.

               For example, I learned the hard way not to let the tags on my car expire.  It’s not that I did that deliberately; I was just young and busy and didn’t think about it.  So naturally, when the nice police officer pulled me over, I was both mortified and outraged.  I was even more outraged when I had to not only buy the new tags, but pay the rather impressively expensive ticket.

               So it only makes sense to me that I would gently remind (okay, it might border on nagging) our son to renew his tags in a timely manner.  I really do not appreciate the “ok, boomer” response.

               And to be fair, he didn’t actually say it.  But he thought it loud enough that I heard it!

               Our wisdom is usually from experience and we should pass it down so others won’t make the same dumb mistakes we did. 
               Of course, getting older has some benefits, too.  I realize that every year after 50, some new body part breaks down or stops working altogether.  Some of those body parts are ones I didn’t even know I had (until they started to ache or make funny noises).  And vision, hearing and teeth all start to deteriorate around then, as well (interestingly, just about the time normal insurance doesn’t cover those particular maladies).  In addition, we usually have to watch what we eat at dinner, to avoid indigestion, and how much or what we drink after 9 p.m., to avoid getting up more than the usual twice in the night.  It’s about that time of life when normal activity takes our breath away and having more than one appointment in a single day is too exhausting to contemplate. 

               But wait, didn’t I say there were benefits?  Oh, yes, there are.  We get discounts!  Several agencies give all kinds of discounts to people our age – restaurants, hotels, stores.  It’s incredible.  You used to have to show your Golden Buckeye Card or your AARP card. Now, they take one look at you and they just take 5 or 10 percent off the tab!  It’s amazing!

               Plus, we get to sleep in every morning without setting an alarm clock!  I know that most of us wake up sometime after 5 a.m. to use the bathroom, but still, we didn’t wake up to some loud music or that annoying siren!  And, if we want, we can go back to bed.  We might even be able to fall asleep!

               More good news – we were among the first in line for the vaccine for the coronavirus.  I’m reading that those who receive the two-dose vaccines are more likely to experience negative side effects after the second shot.  But, and this is a big but, the older you are?  The less these negative side effects appear to be.  Wow!  It’s great to be older!

               So, I’m embracing my boomer-osity.  Boomer-ness?  Boomer-ability? Whatever – I am embracing it all –  my wisdom, my stories, my aches and pains, and hopefully, my lack of side effects to the new vaccine!  “Ok, Boomer” is right!