Grace/Disgrace

Intro: This track is about a tension between the desire to grow old gracefully and a desire to grow old disgracefully. You’ll hear extracts from a conversation between Anna George and I, and excerpts from her piece ‘10 things about ageing’.

Anna: “yeah. So I suppose it's about how much you're trying to hang on to your youth or your previous state of health and if it's - you know - because we all want to hang on to it, that there's a point where you have to let some things go and other things you might be able to keep on. You have to kind of accept it. And some days, it's harder than others, and -.”

“I suppose, Grace also comes from your mindset from the acceptance of “Right, you know, this is who I am now” and realising, there is you know, you could still be having a good life and kind of looking, looking to that to think well: what can I do for myself and for other people, community to, you know, to sort of make the most of your capabilities and time that you do have and trying to balance things out. I think that's it broadly speaking, yeah”

10 THINGS ABOUT AGEING GRACEFULLY OR DISGRACEFULLY by Anna George, aged 63

Hair

I’ve gone with the grace given by the grey and that for me now is okay – but if for my next big birthday I want that pink and purple streak then bring it on … and if that is looking like a disgraceful freak that’s ok too by me.

Stomach

This big ole tum of mine looks an absolute state but it’s a part of me now all blown up inside like a tightly blown balloon. And at least I don’t think there will be any preconceptions about some sort of conception.

Clothes 

Age is a licence to wear more or less whatever … embrace a bit of clash-ion and let go of the fashion! And in the charity shop I fit right in whereas Primark leaves me feeling in a bit of spin! 

Loos 

… or the lack of – a prime area of potential disgrace if I can’t find them in a place  - can be awks but age will excuse it  - glad to take it and use it ! 

Food 

Now it’s just straight past the salads to the tasty bits of the menu and make all the disgraceful bad food choices I want – as now have the grace to accept that slim build has gone literally a bit pear-shaped. 

And of course with food goes a little Drink ! 

Rarely more than one or two or three as sadly different parts of my body object and I feel my body deserves that respect most of the time. If in the moment my mind takes over and wants that more than alive feeling then I’ll shock them all and happily have more than five!

(You’re) OK Boomer 

A bit of a derogatory one smacking of all sorts of selfishness of which we ought to be ashamed and feel in disgrace but my lot at home seem to think as their own Boomer I am OK. So I’ll try with grace to take that.

Senior moments

They are real and getting more frequent … just writing this I nearly killed a lasagne and my most frequent victims are known to be the carrots! 

Opinions - Having and voicing them.

The old people pleasing me is bowing out a bit and being replaced by someone who is running out of “whatevers”  to give – practising the art of coming out with something a bit more disgraceful but still with grace. 

A final thought

So which is it to be Gracefully or Disgracefully? I am still trying it all out and deciding and going with the flow but however and wherever I go I am Now Finally Free to Do Me! 

Outro: A huge thank you to Anna George for collaborating with us on this piece.