How old is old, Bernard Baruch was once asked? Old is fifteen years older than I am, he replied.

The other day I was standing in a line up at the cash, buying a bottle of wine for dinner. There was an attractive young woman ahead of me, buying a bottle as well.

As she was about to pay for her purchase, the cashier politely asked her for some identification; In Ontario you have to be at least 19 years old to purchase wine or liquor.

Now, I’m not good about guessing ages but she didn’t look anymore than 35 to me. From my vantage point she’s just getting started!

“I hope you don’t think I’m being personal” he said. “It’s the law.”

Her face lit up. Laughing, as she handed over her ID, she replied, “Mind? Are you kidding? I’m flattered. The way the week’s going I feel like I’m 40!”

She’s not alone. At some point, we all reach an invisible – or not so invisible wall, where we begin to feel we are getting old. Or think we are.

Some of us start resisting change, struggling with the new technologies, new attitudes and ways of doing things, complaining about how things aren’t like they used be… a sure sign that the clock is ticking.

The truth is, though, particularly today, aging doesn’t happen at any given hour or day. The process is not biologically set in stone.

We all have a choice. It’s a personal decision. As the days and weeks fly by, we can’t stop the clock. We can remain young in spirit, getting older, yes, but not old.