Grow up and grow Old

I was recently talking to a local store owner who is going out of business (I'm sure her winning personality has a great deal to do with it) When I asked if she was "Retiring" she said she was too YOUNG to retire..I suppressed my laughter as not to embarrass her until I left the store.
First of all...is there an AGE to retire? I have a friend who retired at 35 so he could enjoy the millions of dollars he had made as a young entrepreneur. I have several other friends who retired way before 65, pretty much to start enjoying the fruits of their labors. So perhaps what she meant to say was "I haven't made enough money yet, in order to retire"...
I was left with the impression that she fears growing old. I've seen a lot of that recently. Women (not girls) in their 40's and 50's who refuse to believe they are growing older...who want others to believe they still look like they are 25...They may act immature but thats where their lack of maturity ends...They not only LOOK their age, there are times they look older...So , do they have a trick mirror? Or are they just in denial...I have seen older woman...totally expressionless, frozen by Botox...do they really think they look younger? Most of us think they look plastic, because that's what an old face looks like when it has no wrinkles and is void of character.
Ladies you need to wake up..You aren't young anymore, the beauty of youth has been replaced with the beauty that age and wisdom brings. Wear your wrinkles proudly, they define your face and add to your expression. To deny you are getting older, only makes you look foolish because we see what obviously you are missing when you look in the mirror. You can change to a youthful hair style, wear the clothes of a teenager and use a ton of makeup to hide the flaws that come with age....The only one your kidding is yourself.
When I was younger I saw so many older woman grow old gracefully and I remember how "stunning" I thought they were. I admired woman who dressed and acted their age. I'm not talking frumpy, these were professional woman who dressed appropriately and met their age with dignity and poise as opposed to denial.
There is no age of retirement (only an age to collect SS) Bless your heart if you can retire at 40 and do something worth while with the rest of your time here on earth.
You have to age...so grow up and deal with it...but you don't have to get old. Many of us "Oldies" remain pretty darned active....and I for one am enjoying the hell out of early retirement..
chew on this:
You are young as your faith, as old as your doubt;
as young as your self confidence, as old as your fear;
as young as your hope, as old as your despair.
Douglas MacArthur