Break Down But Live It Up

Feeling a little like an old jalopy while the sports cars pass you by? Katie B. Goode has figured out how to cope: Break Down, but Live It Up.

All equipment rusts, breaks down, and eventually gets sent to the junkyard and parted out.

Guess what. We boomers are no different.

If you’re one, you may have noticed that basic maintenance isn’t as easy as it used to be.

In the old days, we’d crank up the machinery and race from zero to 60 in nothing flat. We’d tank up on a little fuel, cruise all day and night, and rock and roll forever without so much as a tune-up.

These days, start it up and the engine skips and groans and sputters. We may make it out of the garage, but we just don’t have the same pep as in the old days.

We’ve got sludge in our crankcase and leaks in our valves. We’ve got creaks in our chassis and squeaks in our seats. We’ve got rust on our bumpers and dings on our dash.

Yep, we’re coming down the final stretch. There’s not much to do but sit back and enjoy the ride … as long as it lasts anyway.

It used to be that going to the body mechanic was something you did grudgingly for your company’s annual physical. Now we wonder if we should move closer to our doctor’s office so we can save on gas.

But even if you’re not the slick roadster you used to be, there’re bound to be a few more highways, byways, and pit stops that make you forget you didn’t just fall off the assembly line.

And if you’re lucky, you’ve got a partner—old or new—to share it all with. Rolling down the road together makes you almost forget about all the rubber on the road behind you. That’s especially true when you’re with someone who still sees you as that shiny speedster he fell in love with.

And if you’re very lucky, magic happens. Somewhere along the line you go from being an old heap to a cool classic. Celebrate!

Get out the turtle wax and give yourself a fresh shine. Cover your seats. Buff your trunk.

Travel those extra miles with pride because you know what’s coming—the big junkyard in the sky; the scrap pile of eternity; the four flats of forever.

But maybe there’s hope. Pray the manufacturer has a recycling program. You may have been a rusty Ford this time around, but who knows? Maybe next time you’ll be a red hot Ferrari!

For now though … just keep on rolling.

- Check out Katie’s new blog, The Barefoot Boomer -