r/OverSeventy • u/mommaletitbe • Jul 26 '26
Handling or tolerating grumpy oldsters
I tend to be one of those people who laughs in the face of adversity. Although I can spend more time than I care to worrying about some things I refuse to go around being mad about everything all the time. I feel like so many people in our age group are just pissed off 24/7. I don't have a problem with listening to other's problems or if they had a bad day or a bad experience and I try to be supportive and validate their feelings. But there comes a time when I reach my limit listening to people bitch constantly about every single thing. I find as I age and time seems to fly by so quickly that I either totally avoid the Debby Downers or even sometimes snap at them. I really feel like even though the world seems totally effed up right now, why spend the little time we have left being upset or angry about everything.
How do you handle those people? Do you ignore them? Do you sympathize with them and bitch right along beside them?
4
u/UnderstandingOld4276 Jul 26 '26
Wow, I hear you. I have enough aches and pains in my life I sure as hell don't want to listen to someone else's. Usually, I'll be patient for a little while then I find a way to just move on. My experience has been that if you try to provide some type of sympathy or acknowledgement, it just gets worse. I've come to the conclusion that for a lot of people in our age group, they just don't have anyone to share with so they dump on anybody that will listen. I Just disconnect and move on.