Ah… but age is only a number… I’m not old… as I’m only 35 in my head 
Parts of me wish I were 20 again, while others shout that I can’t do that any more. I found that sometimes major events have changed how I see myself and took away many of the drivers and feelings of being young that I once had.
My mother will be 90 this year, and from seeing how she has changed over the last 20 years, I have a strong sensation of waiting to die now I’m past doing the family thing.
Sorry that’s a bit maudlin.
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B[quote=“Ancient_Mariner, post:324, topic:20402”]
I have a strong sensation of waiting to die now I’m past doing the family thing.
[/quote]
But no….there’s a wonderful phrase in the French nationality criteria that evokes the huge importance of people contributing their sunny nature to the world. There are so many ways to enhance the world apart from contributing to over-population….
(And I know the French “rayonnment” has nothing to do with sun, but more about power and prestige, but I prefer my interpretation 
“La nationalité française peut être accordée à un étranger francophone qui contribue par son action émérite au rayonnement de la France”)
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God no 
while I know I have only a few years left, I am loving life too much to want to pop my clogs just now, enjoy what you have and stop wishing your life away, your a long time dead and in reality we don’t get much time on this world 
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You are younger than I am, that’s for sure, and for me, when significant birthdays occur and/or any noticable health degradation, I have to fight against exactly what you are describing. I have a tendency to depression anyway and also, having lived in a society where the only people seen as valuable are those who are (or will be) “contributing economically”, it is difficult not to feel that life is over.
HOWEVER, many other cultures, including France, do not view age in that way and neither should we. Also, every religious or philosophical framework sees people as valuable outside of any economic/reproductive criteria and, in many cases, just because we are outside the “norms”.
I’m with @Griffin36 on this one - go for it!!!
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Here’s the bad news, you have probably got another 25 years! Think positively on what you want to do, make a bucket list and go enjoy some of them.
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Feeling maudlin is something which most/many of us will experience at some time in our lives (yes, even me)… and (hopefully) we each will find a solution/way of moving-on and out into the sunshine again.
There is no “quick-fix” which works for everyone… but if you’re looking at your Mother … perhaps you need to consider that there’s a world of difference between her generation and yours…
You’ve already got France to look forward to… we had that as the “light at the end of the tunnel” through some very difficult years in UK (absolutely horrid years in fact).
OH and I intend to “grow old disgracefully”… certainly not going to roll over and succumb.
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Thanks everyone, I’m fine - I have no plans for not enjoying life, and as you can possibly tell from the fact that we HAVE bought a house in France, there’s plenty of good things planned for the future. But I am also inclined to look ahead, and can see that there’s a natural progression in one direction only.
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I’ll leave you all to figure out which one of these lovely ladies is actually me…
My back is twinging just thinking about moving like that! 
Really looking forward to this years Old Folks’ Christmas Party (sadly cancelled in 20 and 21).
but I’ve been practicing my moves… and I’m ready to let rip…
Grannies can be very young these days, but they must all have been teenage mothers! And being a granny is obviously equal ops now as 4th looks remarkably like a man ….
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Well, “mission accomplished” if that video got folk chuckling (despite the twinges…)
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I would love to dance but, around here, all the local towns/villages have dances of the “tea dance” sort and I’ve never learned…
My excuse for not dancing is that since I’ve managed to reproduce, there is no longer a need.
A part of it is that I’m between major projects, and have too much time to think. 
My other half told me that just knowing he had the place in France was such a comfort. Also through the struggles the UK puts people through. I am beginning to worry it is a failing state.