Especially in the gay community, aging is a big issue. Recently, I had 2 friends give up on their lives. One developed diabetes - a very treatable disease - but insisted that he wanted to live a normal life. He refused medication and didn't last long. Another, my best friend of 25 years, also gave up on his life. When things got tough, he ate whatever junk and fast food he wanted, became obese and developed 2 types of cancer. His selected cure for this? Become an alcoholic. He became so abusive that I had to end the friendship even though he was ill. It was very emotionally painful.

As for myself, I am a bit younger (am in my early 50s) but have had lingering injuries for years that prevent me from doing the athletic things I used to do. I've had difficulties finding new hobbies. And, I've developed chronic diseases that limit my diet and other activities. I tried spirituality but it didn't help. Therapy didn't help. I work full-time but am so tired when I get home that I don't go out. I have become a loner.

I am having trouble with aging - the baldness, the lower sexual drive, the weight gain, the prejudice, the lack of music on the market that caters to my tastes, the limited diet, the loss of friends, etc. It's all taking its toll. I am drawing on all my experience and wisdom to deal with it. And, I'm really not that old.

My old fashioned values are looked down on. I cannot believe people living beyond their means and feeling they are entitled to it. Whatever happened to obeying the law, being polite and humble? So what if economic times are hard? That should make no difference because it's part of life that everyone has to deal with. I still define having class as one's good behavior and living with grace; being foul mouthed and a braggart, wearing overtly sexy clothes with little modesty, driving a bling car or living in a mcmansion house and treating others badly means one has bad taste and does not say one has class or good taste. Comments?