I'm the wrong gender to reply to this thread, but I am the right age, so I'll answer anyway.

I admit that I had some difficulty dealing with this particular age, despite the fact that I'm already retired by choice and loving that. I've downplayed birthdays for years. I get it that there's no rational reason I should feel this way, but I do anyway. I don't put my birthday on Facebook so that I won't get any messages on the day, and I always manage not to let the date slip out when people try to find out.

And I hate the fact that when I look in the mirror I see my grandfather.

At least I can take comfort in that fact that when I directed a play a couple of years ago that had an all teen cast, I was declared by one of the kids in the show to be the "chillest old dude ever." (And I wasn't even 60 yet at the time.)

So I do totally understand how you feel; I don't have any answers, but you're not alone in feeling as you do. But happy birthday, anyway!