I have more than a half century and keep waiting to feel jaded, but wake up happy every day, am delighted by lizards running around, and the sky and clouds, the escalator that a shopping cart can ride up makes me happy.

I didn't have a particularly happy childhood, a sort of awful teenagerhood, but adulthood suits me much better. Pay for work? Hell yeah. Make what I want for supper? Fantastic. Love having a family, and so far have also been happy seeing them grow up and move out too. I have enjoyed being a grownup, it's delightful. I happily traded lack of control for responsibility and it's a better deal.

I'm in my second half of life as I plan to live to be a minimum of 100 years old. Part of my plan, is to never retire from work. It made be an American thing but I don't think retiring is for me. I like working even when I'm not crazy about the job but I've gone back to school to get a Master's and just got a job more in line with my education. And I still have at least two more career changes. Working further into my field as a scientist and then probably end up teaching at the college level all the knowledge and wisdom I've gained in the field.

The best news I've had in the last few weeks is that someone thought I was at least 22 years younger than I am. I thanked them and told them I could be their parent. That totally freaked them out and they asked how is that I look and seem so much younger than I am.

My only explanation, I keep making friends regardless of that new friend's age. I keep playing video games, and reading. I also just walk and have a cheerful attitude towards life. Believing in myself, and a firm desire to live to be older than 100 years of age with the same passion for life I have had since I was 13 years old.

Lastly, I don't have a specific religion or belief in an afterlife so I've always intended to make the best of THIS life than worry about what happens when I'm gone.

Oh my sweet summer child.

Wait till you wakeup one day and can barely walk, for no apparent reason.

Or you have an injury that doesn't want to heal, and docs are scratching their heads, but won't give you pain meds, or even steroids that you've seen help this issue in the past.

Or you get fired for nothing you've done.

Or the business you work for goes belly up.

Or a crazy person in your life threatens to kill you, so you have to be alert all the time.

Or you're in so much pain, constantly, that you can't even think.

Life is hard. Shit happens.

Yeah. I totally get it. It does take effort to preserve any wonder and stave off cynicism. Especially in these days of ever growing inequality and tougher material conditions for folks in general. When I was growing up there sure seemed more cause for optimism. Now, folks who look squarely at reality find it tough to muster, what with stagnated wages, an erosion of personal ties, a generally lousy work/life balance for most.

Still, I try to look to and look after my friends, my community. It's not much, but it's what I can do. I've seen hardship, illness, betrayal, personal devaluation, loss. But I'd rather not become a bitter, old bastard like so many I see in this region.

This isnt even a settled fact.

For example: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/happiness/happiness-over-the-lifespan

Argues a few things:

Does happiness decline with age?

People often worry that happiness diminishes with age, but that’s actually not the case. One large study found just a slight overall dip in happiness between age 20 and age 70—on a scale of 1 to 10, average life satisfaction went from 5.8 to 5.4.

What is the happiness curve?

The happiness curve refers to the trajectory that happiness tends to follow as we age. People begin life fairly happy. Around age 18, their happiness begins to decrease, reaching a low point in their 40s. But after age 50, happiness begins to rise again. This U-shaped happiness curve has emerged consistently in large studies of Western societies.

So there is a common curve, but the curve is gradual.

It also notes the likely causes are that financial stability rises mid-life and improves happiness, while free time is at a minimum at the bottom of the curve and reduces happiness.

This has nothing to do with age and everything to do with culture, which can be changed.

I'm 35. I've had some tough times. I've struggled and I'm sure I'll struggle again at some point, but aside from politics and covid, I've been in a sort of golden age for like six years, and things have been getting better throughout. There have been some shitty spots, but it's been joyful in general. There was a time about ten years ago that I truly thought about giving up for good, and I'm really glad that I didn't. I never thought I'd have so much to live for; I didn't even think I deserved a shot at it.

Work hard (but also rest), stay curious, and tell jokes. Joy is possible, but you may need to be the one to provide it, but it pays dividends.

I fucking hate this soo much! People always tolled me this when I went to school. I fucking hated my life and if it would only get worse, then why even bother living? Well turns out I was right, and way more than I could've imagined. Now as an adult I make my own rules and I've never been happier!

Life has only gotten better as I got older. I'm 50 now and I know things will get worse in many ways as my health gets worse in 10-20 years, but so far life has been great. Don't believe the internet cynics, life is what you make of it.

Choose to be happy.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-OO9LloDSJo

WHERE IS THE FUCKING JOY

TIL joy was reserved for me as a youth.

Welp, too late now.

Ok buddy

FACT: they're wrong.

see ya later kid, lol

Lmao