One hundred meters. One last time.
Last night I drove to my kids’ high school and walked out onto the track. It was getting dark and the stands were empty-just what I hoped for. I stood on the white line and stared down a hundred meters of asphalt. I’d covered this distance countless of times over the years. From this point on, things would never be the same. What I was about to do probably wasn’t very smart, but what the heck.
Flashback to a couple of months ago when I was given the news that I needed a new knee. Not a total surprise at my age but still about thirty years sooner than I thought. New knees are handed out like candy these days, but it got me thinking that mine has been with me my whole life and it might sound strange, but I was going to miss it.
Growing up, I was always a sprinter. Distance was never my thing. I loved chasing down a soccer ball but hated the one-mile warmups. I was fast, and although not the fastest, I was the often the quickest-a completely different thing. That ability served me well in my youth, whether it was flying down the sideline of a soccer field, cruising through an obstacle course in the Army, or just spontaneously yelling “shotgun!” and taking off in a parking lot to beat my brother to our dad’s car. Getting from point A to point B in a burst was part of my life and it was fun.
That was until all those years of “bursting” caught up with me and the cartilage in my knee decided to exit the building.
After my diagnosis, I spoke with other people who had knee problems. Every person I talked to, who had the procedure, said they wished they had done it sooner. However, I was surprised at how many weren’t getting them fixed at all and none of their reasons seemed to be financial. Some admitted they were afraid of the surgery (understandable, especially in pandemic times). Others just shrugged it off without much of an explanation, even though a couple of them had trouble just making it down a flight of stairs. It was definitely affecting their quality of life and they were only in their 50’s. My doctor told me some people just decide to live with it.
This has all made me realize how often we do this with other things in life. We suffer through physical ailments, unfulfilling careers and bad relationships and just “decide to live with it”. We accept our fate. We endure the pain. We give up on things we enjoy because we are afraid of the process or the possible negative outcomes. In some cases, it’s all too overwhelming. In other cases, we just don’t want to put in the effort. I remember what my doctor said to me when we first talked about my situation. He said, “Well, you have options but if you do nothing, it ain’t gonna get any better.” That about summed it up.
I get it. If you don’t have any desire to chase down an ice cream truck, then don’t get your knee done. If you you’re truly okay with your job, then stay there. It’s all good. However, if you really want to make a change, I encourage you to do so. Even a little one to get started. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask. You might be surprised who’s out there and willing to lend a hand. I know it isn’t easy. We all have our challenges, especially these days, but we also only have one trip around this track and there’s no reason not make the most of it.
And as for my knee, my surgery is in a few hours and last night I took it out for one last sprint. I went over to the high school, put my feet in imaginary starting blocks and waited for the starter’s pistol in my mind to go off.
“Bang!”
I enjoyed every one of those hundred meters. I’m sure it wasn’t the smartest thing to do but it felt good in a painfully, fast, limping sort of way. As I crossed the finish line, I realized that marked the end of an era. However, I was more committed than ever to make myself stronger, switch out parts when necessary and change direction if required. I encourage you to do the same.
Also, if you need any help, don’t feel alone and don’t hesitate to reach out. You know where to find me. I’ll be the one chasing down an ice cream truck - well, maybe in a year. Till then try an email.
Creageless.com
Brainco.org
*By the way, there’s no real reason for the title or this article except the song got stuck in my head as I wrote this. Thank you to A Flock of Seagulls!
=======================================================================
Eddie Prentiss is the founder of Creageless- The Community for Creatives over 40 and Brainco-The Minneapolis School of Advertising and Design. Currently he is an Executive Creative Director at Stratacomm in Washington D.C. His client experience includes Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Target, General Mills, PepsiCo and Subway.
Eddie is a past recipient of the Minneapolis 40 under 40 award. Now that he is over 40, through his work with Creageless, he's an advocate for older members in creative industries who are transitioning careers, starting new businesses or struggling with ageism.