Retirement? What?

I have 28 more days to work before I'm done as a professional school counselor. I have spent many hours considering what I want to do next. In some ways I feel like a teenager trying to decide on what direction to go in life. There are so many things that interest me that I find it challenging to get serious about a decision. Some of the things that I want to do are: purge my life of stuff that I've accumulated over the years. I am reading Unstuff Your Life! by Andrew J. Mellen and I highly recommend it if you are interested in organization and clearing out extra stuff that you really don't need. My next project is getting Kenny up and moving. There is a senior center at our park district and I plan to take him there 2-3 days weekly for exercise. Wish me luck as he doesn't seem too motivated to get moving. But, I can't in good conscience just give up before I even try to help him. I will also be spending time with Veda during June. Her mommy is planning to take a summer class in Tennessee on an archeological dig. Veda will enter kindergarten in the fall. We will visit the library and any other place I can take her to enrich her life and help her learn. After school starts, Kenny and I may take a bus trip to Door County for a few days. We are also looking into a train trip to San Antonio. I want to develop more on the internet, with a website and more blogging. And I want to continue to be an activist in the political arena. Then, I also want to do some counseling somewhere on a part-time basis. Of, course, God may have an entirely different plan for me, so, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

They say-I say

They say 60 is the new 40.
I say that's wishful thinking.
They say you are only as old as you feel.
I say how you feel is only one part of how old you are.
They say getting older makes you wiser.
I say maybe, but it also can make you rigid, especially when rigor mortis sets in.
They say there isn't enough time in the day to do things.
I say why not make time each day to do what you want.
They say money isn't everything.
I say that I'd like to find that out for myself.
.........

Best laid plans

I was in Peoria today for my annual mammogram. Kenny tagged along. We had a wonderful lunch at Johnny's Steakhouse before the big squeeze. Afterward, we stopped at Goodwill and Walmart before heading home. My big plans for the evening were to watch Inside Edition and Jeopardy, drink a beer, and watch the evening news. When we got in, Anna was trying to print postcards for her family game night next week and the printer was jammed. I started trouble-shooting it and even did an online chat with kodak helper-all to no avail. Then, I couldn't find my sales receipt and the chat helper sent my info to digital paradise before I could write it down. Yuck. Had to call Sam's Club to get print out of my receipt and get back on the chat to secure the information my helper had dispatched. All was done speedily and after two hours of torment, I was finally able to drink my beer and relax. I guess that compared to cancer or an earthquake, this was just a little blip in my day. Gotta keep things in proper perspective. Right?

61 Now

2010 and I'm 61 and soon will celebrate my 40th wedding anniversary with Kenny. One thing that I've noticed in this past year is that things do not get easier as I get older. For example, opening jars has become a real challenge. Especially since I got my Blackberry in November and now my thumb joints are killing me! Also, taking care of little ones is harder than it used to be. I dearly love Veda, 4, and Lily, 2, but, their energy levels and mine are far apart. Just watching them play wears me out.

Last fall Kenny got a kidney transplant thanks to the selfless love and generosity of his daughter Allyson. What a wonderful blessing that has been in our lives! Kenny was restricted by his transplant surgeon from many activities between October 26 and December 28. But, now, our lives are becoming more normal and we are having fun together.

Each year brings its challenges and rewards. So, I am looking forward to 2010. Bring it on.

The Big Day

Well, I made it to the big day. Imagine being 60 years old! I don't feel any different today than I did yesterday or the day before or last January 2nd. My Wii fit age today was 25!!! Wow! What a gift that was! My friend from high school, Judy Jarvis, sent me an ecard that had a quote from the book of Job. "Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?" Ch.12 Verse 12. Having just now reached the senior citizen group, I'm not too sure about the wisdom or understanding. It seems to me that the older I get, the less I know for sure. There are many more gray areas now than in the past. Maybe that is what wisdom is really all about. Anyway, this morning my little granddaughter, Veda, who will turn 3 on Janaury 7, called and wished me Happy 60th Birthday. It was almost as sweet a moment as when my mom called and sang it to me. I wonder what she would say about me turning 60. Probably something positive - like - keep up the good work and God will bless you with many more years.

I used to want to live to be 100. Now, I'm not so sure. Too many losses to endure. So, here's to today. May it be a happy day to store in my memory.

Philosophy

The more I try to grasp the concept of being 60 years old, the more the whole idea eludes me. What exactly does 60 mean? I don't feel 60. I don't know what it means to feel 60. In my head, I don't feel any older than I did when I was 40. I want to feel this way as long as I live. The only answer I can find is exercise. You see getting older is mandatory. Getting feeble is optional.

1st entry

Soon I will reach the age of 60. That is, if I make it till January 2nd. Sixty used to be the beginning of old age. Now, I don't think so. Inside, I feel ageless. What is age anyway? I guess it's just a way of measuring one's physical existance. My body is aging, but my spirit is ageless. The meaning of aging for me is that I am realizing how much I need to let go of pre-conceived ideas and open myself to possibilities. I look to 60 as a new opportunity to look, listen, and learn. With wonder in my heart, I approach the new year.