I Am Too Young to Be This Old: Poetry and Wisdom for Those in the Second Half of Life

In 1952, the life expectancy for men was 66 years old. Today, 10,000 people a day turn 65, with the life expectancy of men rising to 82 and beyond, and touching 90 for women. The second half of life is no longer just a cliché; it is now statistically a time period equaling the first half of this adventure. By 2034, there will be, for the first time in history, more people over 65 than under 18, a world difficult to prepare for since no generation has gone there before.

This book was written for those in the second half. Who are we; who were we; what does it mean to age and what did it mean to be me? In the olden days of mid-last century, people worked hard until 60, retired, then died a few years later, worn out by the struggle of work, careers, family and fighting to make enough money to stay alive in those young and lean years.

We now have time previous generations never experienced, but what do we do with this time, and how do we define a phase of life we never expected to live long enough to enjoy? This book was written for those who struggle to define the meaning of age. The writings in this book are for those who wake up one day, far on the other side of 50, and realize they are past the nonsense of youth and now, finally, life can be all about them. There is humor in this realization, and frustration and sadness as we live past spouses and friends.

Yet, we hope we can still make a difference, still live a life that matters, at least to us.