During lunch the other day at work, we have been discussing how modern the "older" generation are here in Netherlands. When I say "older" generation, I wanted to refer to those people who are 50 years AND OLDER. We were comparing them to the other "older generations" of various countries such as Peru, Philippines, Italy, Kenya or India. They seem to be more up to beat here. The older generation here still rides motorcycle, bike around, jog around and do normal stuff that the younger generation can only do in other parts of the world. And we, my colleagues and I, all agreed that this kind of culture is something positive.

After that discussion, the topic of oldness came and we were discussing about it. So when do we become old? My colleague has been telling that getting old is all "in the mind", all "psychological" and all in "the brain"... and yes that's true.

At certain moments in their lives, older people think, "Oh yeah, I am old so I have to:"
1. Wear this tpe of clothes
2. Act like old
3. Be respected as old
4. Let everyone know I am old and should be respected
5. Should not do these stuff as I am old
6. I am old
7. I am old...

Indeed it is us who decide! What we saw here in Netherlands is mosly the other way. Old people taking carts of books from borrowing in the libraries, older people jogging around, walking around in groups such as youngers in mett-up, they boke, they sped up theirs motos, they run around and many other things the rest of the older generation from other side of the world can't do or would not do.

What do you think? Is it us who decide when to grow old? Is it indeed psychological thing? I would love to hear from you...