It’s official. Joan and I are old.

Younger people open doors for us, give up their seats on buses and subways, let us ahead of them on line.

It’s sweet, in a way. I’m not insulted. They see grey hair and they make their assumptions. At least they were properly raised. One time, I refused the offer from a younger man who obviously was coming home from work. “Stay seated, you worked all day,” I told him with a smile. He looked confused.

I’m sure it makes folks feel like they’ve done something good when they offer you their seat. That’s okay. It’s a wonderful gesture that shows respect for aging, and that’s a good thing.

I’m not sure how folks feel about older people asking for a seat. Maybe some find it annoying.

Anyway, I bring this up because it slightly altered my opinion about aging

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