This came to mind reading on an ODT regional page recently about the retirement of the first chairman of the Clutha Gold Trail Charitable Trust, Rod Peirce.
Civis was then informed in the second last paragraph that lively-looking Mr Peirce was a mere 87 years old.
Is age just a number? Does it really matter? As with so many questions, the answers are not categorical. It depends.
President Joe Biden will be 82 in November, soon after the United States election. Add another four years if he wins and he will be relinquishing the Oval Office just short of Mr Peirce’s age. Many Americans, including many fellow Democrats, wish a younger candidate could have been chosen. He has been regularly dogged by questions about his mental fitness.
Donald Trump is not far behind at 78. If he wins, by the end of his term he will surpass Mr Biden as the oldest US president yet. He looks younger than his rival and receives less scrutiny about his age.
Winston Peters is still going strong at 79, and Queen Elizabeth II was impressive in her 90s. Somehow, some of the music stars of yesterday keep on keeping on.
Putting to one side illness and dementia, cognitive speed slows as we age. Physical decline is an issue in some jobs.
There comes a time for many when they should step aside even if they don’t want to. They might not have kept up with a changing world and changing responsibilities. They may not have the energy to perform as they should.
It can be awkward and difficult if they fail to realise they should "retire". Former Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt was a classic case of hanging on too long.
There are many others, however, whose capacities are such that their work and community contributions remain valuable and even essential. Their departure is a wasteful loss. All that knowledge, all that expertise.
Employers from 1992 were not allowed to stipulate a retirement age, and the proportion of those aged more than 65 in paid jobs keeps rising. Sometimes work provides mental and social stimulation and sometimes essential or bonus income. While the change has on occasion created issues, the benefits have outweighed the drawbacks.
There are exceptions for judges and certain limited occupations. There were complications in March when vigorous and effective Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier reached the retirement age of 72 before being asked to carry on.
Civis has always appreciated the quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, that: "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter".
Rationally, the words are aspirational because the effects of ageing are, eventually, all too apparent. Emotionally, however, such positivity must surely make a big difference.
Age is just a number with this mindset. Young, old or in between, we can choose not to let age define us.
Others should attach less significance to age and the associated baggage of expectations and imitations.
Ageism, like so many "isms", is about assumptions and categorising. Instead, let individual capabilities and characteristics shine through.
While all Civis knows about Mr Peirce is what he read in the ODT, it would seem the founding chief fire officer at Millers Flat embodied the optimistic, empowering adage that age is no barrier. He is described as the Clutha Gold Trail initiator.
Age didn’t prevent him and the trust from raising the money, creating a trail crossing 125 parcels of land, establishing easements across farmland and defending the trust when a group of residents took it to the Environment Court.
