Give yourself the best excuse in the world, the only one you�ll ever need: �Hey, I�m old.�

"When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody's help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,
Now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors."
~The Beatles, Help!

Now that you�re old, cut yourself some slack, would you?

Let yourself off the hook.

Give yourself a break.

You don�t have to do it all anymore. Take it easy for once.

It�s OK with the rest of the world, so why not you?

For the first time in your life, do what you want.

Not what everyone else thinks you ought to.

Not what you think everyone else thinks you should.

Do what you want.

Say no. Back out. Beg off. Stay home. Take a nap. Watch the ball game on TV.

Anything but what you�d rather not do. But feel you have to for everyobne else's sake but your own.

Excuse yourself.

Take a rain check.

And ask for some help when you need it: "Give me a hand. It�s too heavy." "It's too far." Too near. Too cold. Too hot. Too bright. Too dark. Whatever.

It's OK because there's always going to be something you need help with anymore. Trust me on this.

And be grateful for the helping hand. You'll find more and more people offer one these days. Whatever the reason for accepting, you�ve got the best excuse in the world. The only one you�ll ever need:

�Hey, I�m old.�

�Once you reach 80, everyone wants to carry your baggage and help you up the steps,� reasoned Frank Laubach, noted Evangelical Christian missionary and author whose literacy program, Each One Teach One, has helped over 60 million people to read in their own language.

�If you forget your name or anybody else�s name, or an appointment, or your own telephone number, or promise to be three places at the same time, or can�t remember how many grandchildren you have, you need only explain that you�re 80,� said Laubach, who died three months shy of turning 86. Maybe because he never did anything for himself anymore.

But I'm sure he died happy. As Laubach reasoned, �At 70 people are mad at you for everything, At 80 you have a perfect excuse no matter what you do.� Doesn't get any better than that.

So repeat after me: "Hey, I�m old."

Belt it out. "Help me if you can, I'm feeling down," as the last lines of The Beatles song go. "And I do appreciate your being round. Help me get my feet back on the ground. Won't you please, please help me. Help me, Help me. Ooooooo."

Then don't just do something. Sit there.

Quit trying to prove something every goddamn minute of every day. Qui trying to get something else done. And something after that. Some people call it denial.

Give it a rest, for Pete's sake. No, for your sake.

Just sit a while.

Just be for a change.

It's what old people finally get to do.

Just be.

It's where life really is.