Wait, we’re the same age?

As WordPress continues to recycle old prompts, I pulled another prompt from The Coffee Monsterz Co to respond to today

Do you feel younger than, older than, or right around your age?

It’s funny that this prompt came up today. Last week, Veronica and I were at one of our go-to restaurants. Our waitress was wearing a T-shirt from a local elementary school—the very one Veronica attended. Naturally, Veronica started doing some mental math to figure out if this person was a teacher or perhaps a parent at the school.

Now, keep in mind that Veronica is about eight years younger than I am. It’s never been an issue for us; I think our compatibility comes from our shared laid-back temperament. She’s more of a planner and I’m more spontaneous, but that’s what makes things interesting.

I brought up the age gap because I had to remind her that she graduated high school 25 years ago. If this woman had been Veronica’s teacher, she’d likely be pushing retirement age. Just looking at the gray in her hair and the lines on her face, I pegged her as being well into her 50s—maybe 55 or 56.

The Class of ’91 Reveal

When the waitress came back, Veronica asked about the shirt. It turns out she is a teacher there now, but the conversation took a turn: we discovered all three of us went to the same high school.

Then came the kicker: the waitress told me she graduated in the class of 1991. She is one year older than me.

She even told me her name, and I realized we’re actually Facebook friends—she was close with both Guillaume and Phred back in the day. We knew each other via proxy, yet I was absolutely floored. Don’t get me wrong—I’ve got some lines and a “dad bod,” but without sharing a photo, I think I look pretty damn good for turning 52 in just 14 days. I would never have guessed we were essentially peers.

The Vampire Effect

I know some of us age differently. At my 25th reunion, I saw my senior portrait in the hall and then caught my reflection in the bathroom mirror. The difference was clear: I definitely look older than I did at 18. Then there are the “vampires”—those two people from my class who seemingly haven’t aged a day.

But getting back to the prompt: I don’t feel like I’m about to turn 52.

Yes, some days my joints ache. My knees are sore and I’m a little “creakier” than I used to be. I’m dealing with some medical stuff, but in so many ways, I feel like I’m just getting started. My “kid-raising” days are over—Kid 1 and Kid 2 are my progeny and my legacy, and I’m content with that.

I think back to what my dad was doing at 52. He was already retired from his primary career and starting his second. By that age, my parents had mostly settled into “being parents”—they had reached a destination where going out with friends was a rarity and life had a very specific, quiet shape.

The Fountain of High School Youth

Meanwhile, I’m 14 days out from 52 and I feel like I’m still navigating the “extra innings.” Sure, I put on the professional “Teacher Armor” for the classroom, but the second I’m off the clock, I’m back to being comfortable. If that means dressing more like a kid than a “retiree,” so be it.

Maybe being a high school English teacher is the ultimate fountain of youth. I might think their music is noise and their slang is goofy, but being immersed in that energy keeps me from calcifying. I’m not just a spectator in my own life—I’m still keeping in touch with my own high school and college crews, still hitting the pavement, and still looking toward the horizon.

The Mark Hamill Realization

I always think of the story Mark Hamill told when he was filming The Force Awakens. Hamill was 64 at the time, and it dawned on him that Sir Alec Guinness was also 64 when they filmed the original Star Wars in the 70s. Hamill was flabbergasted. He said something like: “I’m not old. Sir Alec was old. I still listen to the Rolling Stones. I still like the Three Stooges! I’m not old.”

Like Mark, I still listen to the music of my younger years. I’m not “old”—I’m just 52 with a better soundtrack and a much more interesting “Option C.”

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AI art created with Google Gemini

The article “Wait. We’re the same age?” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.