How Do You Know the Day That You Become Old?

When interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Warren Buffett, now 94 years old, was asked, “how did you know the day that you became old?”

The article said that as he passed his 90th birthday, Mr. Buffett began to experience something most people come to accept much earlier in life: his age. Mr. Buffett said, “I didn’t really start getting old, for some reason, until I was about 90. But when you start getting old, it does become – it’s irreversible. “ 

In the article, published Thursday, May 15, 2025, Mr Buffett says, at 90, he began to lose his balance, occasionally, and sometimes had trouble recalling a person‘s name, and his eyesight declined. Mr. Buffett said that the difference in his energy level and how much he can accomplish in a ten hour day became dramatic.

Fortunately, for Mr. Buffett, his health is fine and he feels good every day.  He says he still possesses his talent as an investor and doesn’t intend to sit around at home and watch soap operas.

According to GG Lee, my beloved mother-in-law who was very wise, there are two stages of old. The first stage is young old, which lasts to about 84 or so. The second stage is old old. She said do everything you can, exercise and take good care of yourself, and travel as much as you can while you are young old. When you hit old old, it is not that you can’t travel or do most things, it’s just that you don’t want to anymore, and your health and acuity do suffer as you enter old old. 

It seems Mr. Buffett just continued young old much longer and continued at his intense speed until the changes made him, finally at age 90, recognize that he was old. Warren Buffett did not have the advantage of GG Lee to know that the term old to him really is old old. He finally reached old old, and I do hope that I don’t reach old old until 90 as he did.

I just listened to GG Lee, who died in her sleep at 98, after playing a full day of bridge. In 2025, I have already gone to Europe once this year with family, have another Europe trip planned with family, and am going on a third trip to Europe with Tauck by myself. While I am able, I am taking advantage of my ability to do so.  I guess I am now adding Warren Buffett to my list of people to listen to. 

Having a passion and pursuing that passion every day of your life, according to Warren Buffet, clearly pushes old old into the decade of the nineties when becomes acceptable enough to slow down.

Meanwhile, thanks to GG Lee, in my new widowed life, I exercise six mornings a week with Yoga, Pilates, and Physical Therapy to improve my strength, stamina, and balance, and  one day a week spa day to recover. I spend as much time as I can with my grandchildren, chauffeuring from school and weeknight dinner, as well as weekend activities.  Of course, I  continue my two book clubs, Mah jong, Canasta and I am going back to Bridge (if it kept GG Lee going till age 98, it has to be good). And, of course, writing and mentoring as my passions. My friends cannot imagine how I accomplish all I do.  Warren Buffet would be proud.

I like to pass on my experiences and knowledge of living a long life to those younger than me. I now learned from Warren Buffett, that having passions, and pursuing those passions every day of your life, clearly pushes the beginning of old old into the decade of the nineties, that it then becomes acceptable enough to slow down.  Or, is the strategy to be so busy that you do not recognize that old old has overtaken you!

This Grandma is good with that with

Joy,  

Mema