[manaboutown]

Well, I am now 77 years of age. What I recall is I needed to be six years old by the end of the calendar year to enter first grade, could obtain a driver's license at age 16, became eligible for the draft and had to register at age 18, could drink alcohol legally at age 21 in the the state where I resided at the time, became eligible to vote at age 21, obtained medicare at age 65 and so on. Oh, and I became "legal" to buy a home in a 55 and over community at...surprise...age 55! Were these requirements, 'age prejudice'?

Gee, so much in life is age related!

For me, life has been a journey through several phases. After becoming an 'official' adult at age 21 the phases have pretty much been decade by decade. In general during my twenties people expected me to conduct myself as a man in his twenties and I suppose I did. Similarly during my thirties, forties and so on my life played out on an age related path.

Our bodies and our brains grow, mature and decline with age. That is the way it is. Yes, people treat me differently at age 77 than they did at age 17, 27 or even 57, as they should. I accept my age. I take care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually and live in the present without resentment.

I do not feel people treating me as a 77 year old is 'age prejudice'. I would not want to fly on a commercial airliner captained by a 77 year old. Too, I am willing to get my eyes checked and submit to written and road driving tests to retain my driver's license when necessary.