There’s a lot to love about being in your 60s. And, if you are 60, you may remember the 1960s. That may depend on how many mind-altering experiences you had in the 1960s, however.
These two “60s” have a great deal in common, some good, some not so much. Here are 6 ways my 60s are like the 60s.
In the 60s, people began wearing sandals as no time before. They were fashionable and indicated a certain freewheeling spirit in the wearer.
I recall my mother being a bit shocked by the unorthodox choice of exposing one’s feet in polite society, as opposed to on a beach.
In our 60s, we’re still wearing sandals. But, now they’re probably Birkenstocks, and it likely indicates a certain inability to wear less comfortable shoes or even the presence of a bunion!
Marijuana is back! In the 60s, some of us indulged in a bit of recreational herb intake. In our 60s, some of us are indulging still, or again, or maybe even for the first time.
Okay, it’s not so much recreational as medicinal and maybe we have an actual prescription for it and maybe it’s now obtained legally but still, the herb hasn’t changed much. Well, then again, maybe it has.
You may not be aware of this but pot can now be ordered off a menu. Got a headache? There’s a pot to make it go away. Don’t want to be paranoid later? This herb will ease you into tomorrow. Want a giddy high or a mellower buzz? There’s a bud for you.
Also, in the 60s, “the pill” was introduced, and it became a lot easier to have sex without worrying about pregnancy. In our 60s, some still use a pill to make it easier to have sex but this pill has nothing to do with being worried about pregnancy.
In the 60s, we enjoyed watching Mick Jagger move like… well, like Jagger. In our 60s we can still enjoy watching Jagger move – once we get over the shock of the fact that Jagger is in his 70s!. And, some of us can still move like… well almost like Jagger.
In the 60s we watched as the Beatles embraced meditation and created music to match their newfound enlightenment.
In our 60s, we’re listening to New Age music while we’re meditating and doing yoga and we’re finding our own way to enlightenment. But, from time to time, we still enjoy a good protest song.
In the 60s, people the world over railed against fighting unwinnable wars. In our 60s, many still rage against that machine, but now we do it by signing online petitions and donating to causes that match our peacenik sensibilities.
We also teach our grandchildren to believe in the possibility of peace because we still want so badly for that to happen.
In the 60s, we believed we shouldn’t trust anyone over the age of 30. I remember being bereft when my beloved Bob Dylan turned 30, and I worried I’d have to find another musical genius to listen to obsessively.
In our 60s, we wonder how we ever listened to Dylan obsessively (I mean have you heard that voice?) and know for a fact we can’t take seriously anyone under the age of 30. When I say to a young person, “I have shoes older than you are,” I’m not even kidding.
In the 60s, we all gave a damn about the world. So much so, we thought we could actually change it so we marched, we volunteered, we sang, we studied, we voted, and all the while we wore flowers in our hair to show our allegiance to the planet.
In our 60s, we still pretty much do all of those things. We may not be trying to change the world anymore but we intend to make a difference. And a nice gardenia always looks good in the hair… even when the hair is silver.
Do you have a favorite recollection of the 60s? Share your thoughts on what’s in common between the 60s and the life in our 60s, or maybe not so much? Join the conversation in the comments below and share this article to keep the conversation going.
