I’m Glad I am 62 and not 22 for 6 reasons!

By Max Roberts

I am glad that I am 62 years old and not 22 years old  for 6 reasons:

1. I helped contribute to the Gay culture by opening the doors for younger generations to have the right to be who they are. My generation and before me were in the front lines fighting for equal treatment under the law, fighting for  Aids research and treatment, for gay military rights, for  hospital visit rights and alike. We were the ones who toiled away, doing the letter writing campaigns, raising funds for the fight, and fearlessly fighting for equal rights. We didn’t wait for the government to take action and step in ! They wouldn’t . We did it ourselves!

2. My generation has transformed neighborhoods. My neighbors and I have put real value in the real estate in my town because we shared a common purpose as a community . We didn’t tear each other down, create alliances  and vote one-off the island. We built each other up and helped each other out something that many 22 years old don’t do today  !

3. I still , once  in a while, go to gay clubs and alike , with a close group of friends. We still tear up the dance floor while many of our younger counterparts just stare into their phones and never dance or talk. They will on occasion just roll their eyes when they see us dancing. They aren’t engaged with each other nor having fun.  It was fun in the seventies but it is fun even today because we make it fun. It’s the simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them. We own our emotional state. I  recognize that it’s my life to live  and I don’t believe in drama except when going to the theater! You know that experiencing these little things fully makes life so much better. I encourage anyone that is my age to get out there once in a while. It makes a difference!

4. I admit for a while, I was lonely. I decided to join a Meet up Group. I also created a Meet up group for gay guys around my area. I love making new friends and building bridges. There are guys my age as well as younger ones. In fact, I have helped some of my socially inept millennials actually talk to each other and have seen great progress! We all just want to have a good time. We appreciate each other’s company . It’s a special  moment. I am grateful for the goodness that is already evident in my life .When I was 22 , I didn’t feel comfortable in my own shoes and couldn’t just enjoy the moment and even feel grateful ! I have been able to slow down and see the beauty of life.

5. I get compliments about the clothes I wear from some of my young counterparts. They say , “tell me where did you get that shirt, so I can get one! ” I tell them they can’t because half of the stores no longer exist. Some of my clothes are over 30 years old but boy they made them so well compared to today. I have some timeless pieces. I mix my classic ones with my new ones. Clothes always seem to come back in style full circle! We created fashion. We didn’t wait for a Fashion channel to tell us what to wear and to influence us! My generation was the influencers.

6. My life experiences , as a 62-year-old gay man,  are so different from any 22-year-old counterparts will ever have. They will never have to attend most of their friend’s funerals while in their twenties like I did due to Aids. They will never feel the direct hatred and discrimination by many people in society. But I am glad that I lived those times because the men and women were so different. They were exceptional. They created their own happiness and didn’t wait for someone to hold their hand and help them along the way. They thought  optimistically about the world .  a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times. We just did it . There were sacrifices made in the past but it was ok.  I am proud to have made those sacrifices and wouldn’t change them at all.  They’ve made me the man who I am today and I am excited to look towards the future even more.   I am glad that I  have lived  in both worlds. My younger counterparts have missed all those life experiences and lessons. We are doers and not just complainers. We didn’t wait for hand outs. We offered a hand.

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To get serious results, one may need to make an investment in themselves for an  ultimate transformation.

Many of us at our age  are driven by a deep knowing that we were born for a certain reason. Maybe, you feel that your life is not totally fulfilled yet , and you have  decided that you don’t want to waste your time anymore. If not now, when will you actually lead a more fulfilling life or get help with a problem that you may have carried with you for over 20 years? But  your heart and soul  must be invested in the process in order to be effective. If you’re not ready to take bold action, please wait until you are before hiring us..

If you’re ready to age forward and begin your own transformation and your heart and soul is saying, “I want to do this,” I hope you’ll take the leap with us and contact us at will@gaylifeafter40.com.