Getting old feels so strange.

I turn 58 Sunday. A birthday such as this serves as a reminder that time keeps passing as the body and the mind dance to different tunes.

Mentally, I still feel young. I look forward each day to learning new things. Changes like moving into a new home, mastering a computer system at work and learning to search the Web for knowledge makes waking up each day an adventure.

I love being married and enjoy chasing the grandchildren. I wait anxiously to hear from my busy children and stepdaughters to learn about their lives, and savor moments with my parents who are in their 80s.

The mind tells me that, despite letting myself get overweight, I can still ride a bike, strap on a pair of downhill skis, enjoy a long hike in a southern Utah canyon and spend a week sleeping on the ground in a tent.

Despite the economic downturn, I continue to dream about the next big adventure, be it a Caribbean cruise, a long-imagined drive the length of Route 66 or an Australian vacation.

Work continues to be an enjoyable challenge that involves meeting new people, mastering skills like the blog we just launched, learning to write shorter in a shrinking news hole, discovering ways to graphically entice readers and, at the most basic, crafting a story.

Being able to put in a 12-hour day once in awhile that might involve reviewing a concert or covering a prep football game in addition to the normal daily assignments still feels good mentally.

Unfortunately, the body has different ideas.

After even an hour-long drive in the car or pickup, my left knee starts to throb. In my lifelong battle with my weight, coming home and taking a long walk seems a good idea in theory but, after working all day, not so hot in actual practice. It's easier to watch my favorite news program, grab a bite to eat and enjoy a talk about the day's events with my wife while sitting on the front porch.

Mowing my new large lawn makes my muscles hurt. My kids show me more deference when I try what was once a routine hike. They worry about my balance and stamina like I once worried about them. It sure feels strange when those roles are reversed.

While swimming in the Pacific Ocean a few weeks ago, I got knocked down by a big wave. Try as I might, I couldn't get my legs to work. I kept getting hit and almost started to panic. My wife gave me a hand up but it took me a scary minute or two to get my breath back. I did not return to the water.

So the dance between mind and body continues, a constant fight for some sort of middle ground that promises to only get more difficult as the years mount.

Tom Wharton can be contacted at wharton@sltrib.com. His phone number is 801-257-8909. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.