It’s The Little Things That Scare Me Now

I’m going to be 74 next month, and I’m beginning to realize that the little things in life are starting to frighten me more. If I were younger, they probably never would have crossed my mind.

When I walk, I’m constantly scanning the ground for hazards. A raised sidewalk or uneven pavement could send me tumbling—and at my age, I’m not sure my bones would hold up to the fall.

Every night before I lie down, I used to stare at the smoke and carbon monoxide detector that hung nine feet up on our bedroom wall. I’d hope it wouldn’t malfunction in the middle of the night. I knew it was too risky for me to get on a ladder and fix it if it did. It was a relief when the handyman brought it down to a reachable height.

Those lights in our high-ceiling living room have also been on my mind lately, because I’m going to need help with them too when they go out. That’s another thing I could have done on my own when I was younger.

Oddly enough, the bigger things that might worry others don’t bother me as much anymore. When inflation surged to about 9% in June 2022, it didn’t rattle me like it did other folks. My wife and I still did the things we wanted to do.

Years of saving and investing have allowed us to build a nest egg strong enough to weather the storm. I suspect the same will be true even if the president doesn’t back off on tariffs.

If we were younger and trying to build our financial foundation, it would be a different story. Back then, I’d have been worried about the tariffs. But now? It’s the thought of climbing a ladder that gives me pause, especially after an elderly friend fell off one. He now walks with a slight limp.

At this stage in life, we don’t buy much, which is another reason the tariffs won’t affect us as much as they will affect other everyday Americans. In fact, we’re more focused on getting rid of things. My wife keeps telling me I have too many tools that I no longer need. My stepson will be glad to know he’ll have fewer boxes to sort through when we’re gone.

Traveling is now our biggest expense. Even that expenditure is declining as we grow older. Big-ticket items like automobiles are not on our radar. We don’t drive that much in retirement.

Still, I feel for the young couples just starting out. They say tariffs could raise the prices of strollers, cribs, and all the essentials you need when bringing a baby into the world. These days, most of those items are made in China.

Those same couples will have other major expenses to deal with—day care, college, starter home.

Getting older shifts your focus in unexpected ways. The world’s big problems may still matter, but it’s the little things—the smoke detector, the sidewalk crack, the ceiling lights—that take up more space in my mind now.

What little things have started to matter more to you with age?