I Used To Fly

A short time ago I staggered into my home. Another Tuesday evening spent playing pick up games at the gym, another night battling age.

Today I played in five consecutive games and guarded two different players. The first was 20 years-old and the second was 17. I find myself noticing little things creeping up, the speed I used to rely upon is not always there.

It is not that I was ever the fastest guy on the court, but I had a good first step and there weren't too many guys who could flat out blow by me. And now I find that the number who could have increased. There are at least two more guys out there who can beat me in a foot race, two guys who a short time ago didn't have a chance in hell in getting by me.

It is humbling. You just never think that you are going to age. You never expect that you'll get older, not like those other guys. Somehow you are going to retain your youth, somehow you'll stay young.

I don't have a single gray hair, not even a hint of one. I can still do so many things the way that I used to in college and even in high school, but still I feel time chasing me.

Fortunately for this fragile male ego I am still as strong as ever. I don't encounter too many people who can match up with me in that department. A friend who believes in astrology says that it is because I am a Taurus I am blessed with the strength of a bull. And since I started lifting again I can feel the strength in my arms building again. My back, my overall body just feels so strong. At least I still have that.

Once my strength begins to truly wane I'll be confronted with a much harder reality, but I don't expect to hit until I am about 100 or so.