Not meaning to offend, I've always thought country music was rock, twenty years late. To me country from the '90s, sounds like pop rock of the '70s as far as the instrument and vocal styles go, and through the decades country seems to shadow rock by twenty years. Just my perception, and I haven't listened to enough country to know otherwise.
I agree there is good music from every era and genre, but it seems to have grown very sparse, and modern pop has very little real talent, and what there is gets buried under marketing hype.
Me? I was always a heavy metal kid. I'm in my late 60's and still listen to it, and a smoking guitar solo really gets me pumped!
Back to the OP's topic though, as far as how a person feels inside I have to say that growing up is over-rated. And though I'm still rockin' and drag racing a 9-second car, my body regularly reminds me I'm not 25 any more - yet my inner self will argue the point!