June 9th, 2021, is my 72nd Birthday and I am celebrating it! I am delighted to have attained this age because 21 years ago I was not sure I would see even one year more. But I survived that major health challenge and I am still here. I have thought about my age and here is what I have discovered about being older.
I do not have to try to do everything. I have made choices about my paths in life and I am happy with how they turned out. I do not have to stress over pursuing a career. I’ve been there and done that. I do not have to worry about romance in my life or the lack thereof. I am happily married to a wonderful man that I have been with for 37 years.
I have learned to say NO! I do not have to please everyone and acquiesce to all their requests of my time and energy. I can choose where to put my focus and who or what I wish to help or assist.
I have learned that time does not stand still. What is a catastrophe today may cut deeply but will heal with time. Time is on our side. Things pass and we are still here to live our lives.
I am doing better at learning to live in the present. This is a great skill and although I have not mastered it yet I am getting much closer to doing so.
I have learned to turn it over. I am not religious but I have learned that there are times in life when I must hand over control and let go. There are times when there is nothing I can do but ask my Higher Power for help; for someone I know who is in a bad situation or for myself if I need it.
I do not want to go back go being in my 20s. I do not want to be having to make all those decisions and deal with all those uncertainties. Here …there…which way…how… what?? So many questions for a young person and the view that there is so little time to answer them all.
Do I hope for a long life? Yes and no. I hope for a life with good physical and mental health. I hope to be able to continue riding as long as I can get into the saddle. I do not hope to outlive all of my friends and family.
What have I learned in my 72 years? I shall give you a quote from Lao Tzu written in the Tao Te Ching over 2000 years ago and still holding true today.
“Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment.”. — Tao Te Ching.
Cheers!
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