Growing old

When you are growing up, your life is all about potential. What kind of person will you be? What kinds of things will you be good at? What will it be like when you are "in your prime"?

The prime of one's life varies drastically depending on your viewpoint. You might think it's 18, or 30, or even 50. Some people think whatever age they currently are represents their prime. These are probably the most well adjusted people out there. They recognize the pros and cons with each passing year and embrace everything positive while accepting or dismissing anything negative at the same time. For me, older and wiser is fun. But younger and fresher is fun to look back on as well.

There is one regret that everyone can agree on, however. The toll that Father Time takes on your body. When growing up, each passing year offers more power, speed, flexibility than the one before it. You can run faster, hit a ball farther, shoot from farther out, etc. when you are 8 than when you are 6, 12 than when you are 10. 16 than when you are 14. The whole idea of "I'm going to be even better next year" is fun to have in your back pocket, particularly when you are dealing with a particularly awkward year of growing physically. I had that at 13 and suffered through my roughest athletic year of childhood. Had I peaked at 12? Nope, just had to adjust to the changes of growing up. At 14, I was back on track.

At some point, however, things start sliding down the other side of the mountain. You've spent your whole life climbing towards this physical peak, the absolute best of your abilities, and eventually your body maxes out. Alright fella, we've gone as high as we can go. I've really enjoyed having you on this ride. But it's time we head back. Remember all of the good times when you start to experience these rougher ones. It might not be easy. But please promise to try.

At 37, I am many years past that conversation with my body. I've been on the downward swing for some time now. But it does get more noticeable with each passing year. Jumping ability, lateral quickness, general power.. it's all diminishing year after year. Granted, I rarely put myself through tasks that require much of this. But when I do, playing softball for instance, it's glaring how little my body is capable of compared to 20 years ago. It's life and it happens. But it's still difficult to deal with. Sports will always be "a young man's game."

Poker is a different story. Even as your body is wearing down in your 20s and 30s, many times your mind is still cruising steadily up that same mountain. While it's true that many of the world champions of recent years have been in their 20s. the playing field is far more even in the poker world than in the athletic one. Processing information and making the correct decision in a poker hand is just as easy for me now as it was 10 years ago. Diving to my right to field a ground ball, getting up and firing the ball to first base is certainly not. I can certainly still try it. But I'll likely be bruised and battered afterwards. Father Time will see to that.

But when it comes to poker, the bruised and battered era hasn't arrived for me yet. Oh yes, Father Time is watching and observing, studying from afar. But he understands there is more left in the tank. Plenty more. Maybe even a surplus in there due to inactivity in recent years. But I can't wait too much longer. My mind still feels young now. But like the body before it, it can't stay that way forever. 

I'm still heading up that mountain. And I have some things to do before I start heading down the other side...