Late to the Game

From almost all of the current aging “experts”—many of whom I’ve noticed are not particularly old—you learn the importance of staying mentally active and intellectually curious as you make your way through the stages of aging: from “young-old” (65-74) to “old” (75-84) to ”old-old” (85+). 

You may do this by continuing in the work that you love or finding a new vocation, even avocation, an enjoyable hobby that will get you off your comfy couch and into art, music, or dance classes. Not only are these activities designed to keep your brain busy, but also your social life, including the making of new friends.

Until recently, I believed that writing and teaching—both of which I love—did all of those things for me, including making new friends. And they do. But in addition, just this past summer, I’ve discovered a new and quite stimulating avocation: being a Cubs fan.

For starters, having to learn how baseball actually works has kept me both intellectually curious—where’d baseball even come from, who started it and why?—and mentally active, e.g., mastering certain crucial baseball terms like “wild card.”

As for making new friends as a Cubs fan, that’s really easy, especially when you regularly watch the games on big TVs at your favorite bar, a noisy, crowded bar with the volume on both the TVs and the crowd cranked up to "very loud."

Now, if over the months you’ve learned a thing or two about this sport and this bar, you know it’s important on game nights to arrive on time, then head straight for that section of the bar with the biggest TV screen, that special spot where you and your new friends always sit.

Just like in the TV sitcom “Cheers,” we all know each others’ names here, even each others’ drinks: I do mostly lite beers—and over ice—especially if I want to stay for the whole game. Charlie is a red wine fan; Bill, true to his Irish heritage, favors Guinness; and Paul slowly drinks his cocktails. Most important, we all watch the game, talking only during commercials, though grunts, growns, and shouts of “YES!” are permitted when needed.

To say I look forward to these evenings of shared excitement, laughs, joy, or anguish, depending on the score, is an understatement. Because, truth is, the shared bonhomie always sends me home smiling, no matter the score. And one more thing about me and my recently acquired friends: we are all in our 60’s and 70’s, and it’s clear that our shared avocation has kept us all vital, cognitively engaged, and well-preserved.

Just as the experts promised.