Click…

Just as older houses can sometimes make funny noises because they are “settling”, so too do humans make funny noises as they age. Case in point, the vertebrae in my lower back (actually the facet joints, but you get the idea) tend to pop and click. I’ve had this issue for at least 15 years now. I doubt it will improve over time. I’m told by medical professionals that this is not life threatening or even damaging in my case, but your results may vary. (For what it’s worth, I just had this reconfirmed by a Physical Therapist.)

For me, this click doesn’t hurt. In fact, it often relieves the aching in my lower back. My aqua-aerobics does this too. Stretching exercises keep me from locking up entirely. It’s the cost of doing business.

But now I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve become addicted to this back clicking thing. When I’m sitting in our recliner, watching TV, I tend to rock and rotate my hips until I get that click. The vibration radiates up my spine to the base of my skull, and it feels good. I can also hear it from inside my body. Fortunately Dear Husband’s hearing is not acute enough, or it would probably drive him nuts.

It’s funny when you think about it. You never really know what someone is truly focused on. DH thinks we’re watching a movie, but in fact I’m making myself click, and the movie is secondary. Two entirely different experiences.

Young people don’t yet understand what it’s like to experience the settling of their bodies as they age. Things sag. Things expand or shrink. Hair is lost. We can predict the weather in our healed broken bones. For many of us, arthritis kicks in, as does osteoporosis. We snap, crackle and pop. We can do our best to maintain our health, and we can learn to accept those things we can’t maintain or turn into grumpy old coots as we rage against the dying of the light, but the process inevitably continues. The youngsters’ time will come, despite their best efforts.

It happens to us all. We settle.

Click…

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