Today is my 55th birthday. I can honestly say that I look AND feel my age. At 3 a.m. when I get out of bed to limp and shuffle my way to the bathroom, I feel 80. If I don’t stretch after a long run, I can barely get out of my car.
A long run for me now is just under two hours. Five years ago a long run for me was about four hours. If I stay up past 11 p.m, I feel like I have been hit by a truck the next morning.


The other day I was finishing a hike in Peterson Creek and came out in the green space of the park and saw a group of preschoolers with a couple of instructors and they were singing that recognizable song that we all sang as little kids. It goes, ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes, eyes, ears, mouth and nose’ I found myself smiling as I sang along thinking that it really isn’t a kids song, but more for middle aged people like my husband and I who have had issues with every single one of those body parts.


I am one year older than my husband. Today is also our 10th wedding anniversary. We both have the usual aches and pains that come along with aging. Don’t get me wrong, we are both active, and in fact my husband still skis moguls like he did 20 years ago, but the difference is he doesn’t recover the same.


I always smile when I read the dating profiles I get, as 95 per cent of them claim that the person is way younger than they appear. Regardless if they are in their 40s or 80s. They say “I am a youthful 68”, or “I am a young 79”, or “I am 54 but look 10 years younger.” Some people even say that their friends and family tell them how young they look. Seriously?? Let’s be honest, they are biased! Would they still be your friends if they told you that you appeared 10 years older than your actual age?
I also should point out that sometimes really healthy outdoor enthusiasts who are elite athletes can sometimes look a little older as they have spent countless hours in the elements of wind, rain, and too much sun which ages the skin a lot. Those same people still present much younger as they are so fit and active.


Let’s face it. Sometimes a song, a smell, or a memory can instantly take us back to that first kiss, special dance, drive-in movie, and for a fleeting moment we can all feel 30 again. But when we open our eyes, reality hits when we reach for our reading glasses, check the obituaries, and take some turmeric for our sore joints.


I meet everyone in person before matching them. I have met 70-year-olds that move quicker than I do. I have also met 30-year-olds that can’t keep up to me. It isn’t about actual age. It’s about health, wellness, and fitness.
The best way to test out how youthful you think you are is to go on an activity date like hiking, biking, paddle boarding, golf, pickleball, rollerblading, etc. If you are both relatively equal in pace and one person isn’t huffing and puffing, and unable to breathe, and you can have a fun conversation while doing said activity, then you could be off to the races. (No pun intended)


If you are happy, single, and looking for a partner that can keep up to you, I guarantee I will find you someone. Email me today at holmes@wheretheheartis.ca or join me at Denny’s as apparently I can get the seniors special today…