If he wants a damn “motorcycle,” let him have it. Your marriage may depend on it.
If you’re in the same generation as your husband, you may want to keep the following things in mind as you age together:
1] Don’t judge him.
If he wants a motorcycle, you don’t have to jump up and down with joy about it. But you need to respect his desire to do something he’s always wanted to do, but couldn’t for all the reasons one might expect [i.e., job, children, et al].
Most men I know have already proven themselves financially, and now they just want to go back to feeling the way they did when it all started, mostly because they can afford to.
This is also why so many affluent older men have blind checking accounts, but I digress.
2] Remain calm, very calm.
Women should understand [and respect] that men must feel like men in order to continue functioning as men.
Sometimes this includes the viewing of pornography, which most consider normal and well-adjusted behavior.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s no big deal.
But for you women who consider it a form of cheating, you can either walk out on your otherwise faithful husband of 25 years, or just go with the flow.
Beating him up about it will just drive him to places like Ashleymadison.com.
3] Respect his fears about aging.
Older men worry about a lot of things they tend to keep to themselves.
1] Fear about the body breaking down.
2] Fear about retirement.
3] Fear about everything he once felt in control of.
These are all very real to him, common to most, and worthy of consideration from all.
4] Pay attention to his emotional issues.
Brushing off your man’s emotional issues is a recipe for disaster.
I know this will surprise many of you, but men have needs beyond sports and intercourse.
Always keep your marriage a priority, particularly after the kids are gone, and never, ever take him for granted unless you want a hooker at your door at 3 o’clock in the morning with a ransom demand.
SUMMARY
In study after study, it has been demonstrated that an aging man’s greatest fears are all quite similar no matter who he happens to be.
In my world, most men fear 1] impotence for obvious reasons.
This is why they are always having their cholesterol checked, their testosterone increased, and their fitness regimen on a fast track.
Some see this as racing with the devil because it is.
With this in mind, it become obvious then that aging men fear 2] weakness, in general.
No man wants to feel vulnerable, not in full possession of himself.
It is an indignity to most, and the reason so many suffer clinical depression after an injury or illness.
Then there’s the specter of 3] irrelevance that I can’t stop talking about in this blog.
A man with a lifetime of exemplary accomplishments is usually proud of what he’s done, and least likely to let go of it freely.
This is why great achievers keep working.
After all, you’re only as good as your last accomplishment, and if it was over a decade ago, you’ll never have anything to say for yourself at cocktail functions.
There are other concerns, of course, like losing one’s mind, but they are usually subordinate to the ones I just mentioned.