As I celebrated my birthday recently, age became the topic of the moment among family members and friends.

We all laughed when I recalled an elderly neighbor once telling me, "Don't ever get old."

I had a quick reply for her: "So you want me to die young?"

We don't get too many choices. We grow old (at least chronologically) or we leave this earth before we have a chance to experience old age.

I choose getting old. Our golden years may not always be so golden, but it's nice to hang around a bit longer.

Thinking and talking about aging made me curious about the "perfect age." What age would people consider to be the best?

To conduct my informal survey, I asked folks in various stages of their lives what age they thought was best.

Not surprisingly, younger people chose an age older than their current age, and most older adults picked an age a decade or more younger than they are now.

Allison, 15, thinks 25 is the best age. "You'll be able to have a license and drink. You'll be completely independent and have your own house," she asserted.

Irene, 63, also chose age 25, but not for the same reasons. "I was young when I had my kids. I'd want to stop my age at 25, because you're an adult then, not a teenager anymore," she said.

Debbie, 55, chose 40 as the perfect age. "At 40 you're in between youth and old age. At 50 you're considered a senior citizen; you get an AARP card in the mail," she maintained.

At 72, Rosemarie considers 45 to be the best age. "By then you're self-sufficient and settled. You're comfortable with your spouse," she explained.

Pat, now 76, chose "a healthy age." She elaborated: "You can be 900 years old, and as long as you are healthy, that's a good age."

Catherine, 74, expressed similar thoughts. "It has to do with how you're feeling," she said. Then she quickly added, "I wouldn't ever want to be a child or a teenager again."

My friend Margaret, 70, disagreed. "I think the best age is 15 to 20. You have no responsibilities, just have a good time."

Soon to be 22, Grace, a refugee born in Congo, thinks 30 is the best age. "Jesus began his ministry at 30," Grace explained. The young man continued, "By 30 I hope to be established in a law practice."

Bill, 77, apparently considers Grace to be the perfect age. "There's so much you can't do before age 21. I think 21 is the best age because you have the whole world ahead of you."

His wife, Jo, 65, was more philosophical. "Every age has something to offer. At every age you can find something special," she said.

Estelle, a young-looking 93-year-old, picked 65 as the best age. "It's when you retire and can do what you feel like doing," she explained. "You have a lot of free time."

Two older women think their child-rearing years were the perfect age.

Barb, 77, said the "happiest time is when your kids are growing up and you're doing what they're involved in."

JoAnn, 65, chose her early 30s as the best age. "You're still young, you have more experience in life, you're doing things with your kids. There's a lot of liveliness and activity."

And, she added, "You don't have wrinkles."

My husband, 77, picked 50 as the best age. "You're old enough to know better and young enough to correct some of your mistakes," he explained.

With a laugh he continued, "The body is better at 50 than what it's going to become."

My pastor, also in his 70s, believes the best age is "the age I am right now."

Since we never can be any other age, can't change the past and don't know the future, we should embrace the age we currently have attained.

Whatever our age at this moment, why not just learn to love and enjoy it.