I have a seminal birthday this week and I’m not that happy about it. They say pick a number and stick with it and mine has always been 35 so you can see why I have cognitive dissonance. My husband, Paul, always says birthdays are better than the alternative but nonetheless, this is a big one! He is particularly happy about it given the money savings associated with Medicare eligibility; I think he signed me up four months early. I thought getting AARP information in the mail when I hit 50 was shocking but it was nothing compared to getting my Medicare card. Yikes!
So now what? After a little contemplation I think I’ll just “stay calm and carry on!” After all, if we are lucky, aging is a marathon not a sprint, right? I have written a lot about the concessions of growing older so I won’t go there today but will share my ongoing goals as I continue my adventures in aging.
- First and foremost, take care of myself which, for me, means adequate sleep, good nutrition, enough exercise and continuing to “pace myself.”
- Make more time for family and friends which seems to be happening naturally in retirement. This includes attending more weddings and funerals.
- Do what I love and makes me happy. I went into my recent weaving weekend convinced I would never buy a floor loom and drove home convinced I would; I’ve decided it will be an excellent birthday gift for me.
- Keep my brain active through reading and writing which thankfully come easy for me.
- Pay attention to the simple things that bring me joy every day including sunrises & sunsets on the lake, rare rainfalls, watching the pelicans, the second clutch of baby robins in the nest on the porch, so many colorful blooming flowers, picking ripe tomatoes and making my first eggplant parmesan of the season.
So what am I going to do on my big day? We are going to visit my cousin in Wheaton and I will wander around her massive garden while she and Paul bake bread together. After all, it’s just another day on the calendar and I’m thankful to be here living my best life!