Are we more or less fearful as we get older? I tend to
assume we become more fearful and that children are less fearful because their
parents protect them from harm. But is that true?
Actually there are plenty of things to be afraid of as a
child. School bullies, strict headmasters, violent men, vicious dogs,
thunderstorms, bad dreams, you name it.
I think we oldies don’t have more fears, just different
ones. I‘m afraid of living so long I run out of money. I’m afraid of
thuggish-looking men. I’m afraid of doing something careless when I’m driving.
I’m afraid of saying something stupid or embarrassing.
Of course my childhood is so far away that it’s hard to recall
any particular fears. I was scared of my bad-tempered father and scared of a
local boy who used to taunt me as I walked past, and yes, I was scared of
school bullies. Other than that, I can’t remember any other fears.
I’m a bit dubious about people who say they don’t have any
fears. Can that really be true? In this dangerous world we inhabit nowadays,
how could they be so blissfully immune?
I long ago decided that teenagers are more stressed, but adults are more afraid. Teens, no matter what, can be legally rescued by their parents. We adults can do life changing stuff on our own.
ReplyDeleteAs a senior citizen I'm not as afraid because I know I can survive stuff. I turned down a chance to teach English in China because I have already experienced loneliness, and I don't want to do so again. But I know I would survive a strange city, and I could move if I needed to do so.
Sean: I think adults can be pretty stressed as well. But yes, if teenagers are in a tight spot their parents will usually help them out.
DeleteAm I fearful or worried. Are they connected. I think so. I am worried about where we are going as a nation, USA, and where the world is going in general. Changing climate. Intrusive AI. An affect of AI being critical thinking, which is seemingly already in short supple, being lost via not really needing to learn. I'm Susie Sunshine!
ReplyDeleteSandra: I agree, the global situation is very worrying. And the politicians don't show any sense of urgency about putting things right.
DeleteI find my fears and anxieties in my dotage often have to do with worrying about other people in my life.
ReplyDeleteColette: That's an interesting thought. Certainly parents always worry about their children even when they're fully grown adults.
DeleteMy primary fear is of losing Dave. I would have to go into assisted living if I no longer had him helping me survive. Fortunately for me, assisted living is just in another wing of this complex so I wouldn't have far to move plus it costs the same as living in our apartment except for two extra meals per day since we only get one here.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda: Hopefully you won't need assisted living for many years to come.
DeleteAs a child , I was scared of the cold war, scared of getting in trouble, scared of never having friends.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm scared of wet floors, falls, losing my job, illness, being poor, bad things happening to my children and all the big ills of the world.
Life is scary.
Kylie: I guess I have the same fears as you, except of course those related to children as I don't have any.
DeleteI think some of our fears change as we get older because we've seen so much and know what's out there and what could happen so we think about those things.
ReplyDeleteMary: Good point. There's so much horror we adults are aware of that youngsters have hardly thought about.
DeleteI had to think about this a while, Nick, and my fears would be related to health. While I do not have anything seriously wrong, that requires medical attention or medications, my greatest fear would be of taking a fall. I have read so many articles about how seniors taking a fall is one of the worst things as far as causing their health to deteriorate. It's another reason why I always wear my Apple watch whenever I am out and about, especially when on my own.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: I think a lot of us oldies are afraid of falling, for the reasons you mention. I'm extra careful going up and down stairs for example. And of course youngsters have no fear of falling whatever because they're so agile.
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