One of folk's favorite things to hit me with: but you're so young! Like, first off, I'm 40's, I just try to take care of myself. Second, yes my knees hurt and my back is sore because I've been doing all this stuff since I was a kid, but tell me again how hard it's been on your back to sit in a chair for hours. Third, these same people are the people that hire me to do jobs they couldn't handle because reasons (that usually match my own reasons for grunting and wincing all day, but self awareness is a diminishing resource).
I am growing into a bitter old fuck and I'm not a fan of my attitude these days. I'm trying to keep it down, but man I tell you, I am so sick to death of people and their petty nonsense. And I know I'm no saint or ubermensch, but I'm getting out there and doing shit. Running a business that helps farmers, digging my own garden, practicing my skills, networking and getting new gigs. It's hard work and with this world of convenience we've built for ourselves, I find fewer folks willing to get to it. Which is great for my own bottom line, but the commentary always seems to come from a place of ignorance with these guys and I'm within a hair's breadth of calling at least one client a dumb mother fucker.
Sorry, didn't mean to rant at you, but I feel you. I broke my leg right at the knee joint when I was 18 and I've never gotten full function back out of it. Took like three years to get rid of the limp. It hurts all the time but at least I got a nice big surgery scar to point at and shut folks down. I'm sorry you gotta go through this. It's not fair, especially considering how willing you are to pitter patter and how good you are at it.
Just, like, watch the pills. I come from one of those little mountain communities that got eaten alive by the Sackler's ambition. I seen plenty of good, hard working folks turn into junkies so some slick corporate prick can afford the second home he uses to fuck his mistress