65 is only a number. Then why does it mean "old"?

Published: Jan. 23, 2017, 9:34 p.m.

Mary Helen has hit the big age milestone of 65! Time to wish her the best.. or is it?  

Birthdays can be fraught with emotional overtones and societal expectations. In this Ask Mary Helen essay, our Retiree Rebel co-founder ruminates on the meaning of 65 ("No, I'm not dead yet") and how to turn societal expectations of her imminent demise on their head.