First of all, thank you all for your comments about children being mean. The general consensus was that little girls are the meanest. What happened to sugar and spice and all things nice?!
Several of you told childhood stories of various things that happened to you. Things that still affect you now. It was lovely to hear from you and, in fact, that post received one of the highest 'hits' my blog has ever received.
One of my friends sent this to me in an e-mail yesterday. I enjoyed reading it, and I hope you do too.
"I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don 't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong. So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody 's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But, broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it, if I choose to read, or play, on the computer, until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50, 60 &70 's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.
I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old."
I hope you enjoyed this one my friends. It is for all of us 'of a certain age'.
May your week ahead be full of many blessings. See you again soon.
9 comments:
Hi Diane, Well I am up watching the Japanese Grandprix , because I can , and I can go back to bed later if I want. I love it , yep , my grandchildren call me the crazy nanny , singing and dancing around the kitchen ,, LOL ,, take care xx
Hallo, dear Thisisme! Your OLD friend Shadykins here. Congratulations to you for achieving all those page views on your previous post and for attracting more than 200 followers to your fine blog. I also noticed the fall theme of your header. Nice!
As George Bernard Shaw opined, "Youth is wasted on the young." I agree to a point, but for those of us who remain young at heart, the senior years can be the greatest of our lives. I experience the same sense of freedom to say and do as I please w/o being overly concerned about what others think of me.
Remember the words sung by Ol' Blue Eyes:
But now the days grow short
Im in the autumn of the year
And now I think of my life as vintage wine
from fine old kegs
from the brim to the dregs
And it poured sweet and clear
It was a very good year
I hope you're having a marvy Sunday, dear friend Thisisme, and I wish you a safe and happy week ahead!
This has to be one of the best posts I've enjoyed from your blog. It's so perfect for the phase of my life now and I'm proud to be older, wiser, kinder and free from all the worrying of what others think. Awesome thoughts and awesome blogger! Xx
This is a GREAT post! I think I can relate to every single word of it! I'm 65, soon to be 66 on October 18th. I think of my forever 19 year old Nephew, Cole, lying a few blocks away in the cemetery, and silently grieve. I can't fix it, I can't change it: because he's gone and not coming back. But I feel I have nothing to complain about - I like my once auburn hair that is now filling in with gray, and I appreciate every day that I wake up above the lawn.
What a treasure this post is. It is full of truth and wisdom. I will be coming back to read it from time to time because it is so very good.
I have a story to make you smile, if I can get the gist of it across the miles. My great-nephew started kindergarten this year and loves school. He comes home and gives his mom math problems. My granddaughter also started kindergarten this year. She comes home and tells me about all the games they play at recess. I thought the comparison between the two was hilarious. It certainly didn't follow our gender stereotypes, did it?
Have a wonderful week. I'll think of you dancing down your lane as I dance up my hill. Hehehe
What an important, beautiful message for all of us. If I could have this wisdom in my heart and this knowledge firmly planted in my mind, the trials of life would be so much easier to endure.
Hi Thisisme. A wonderful post this is, and, I try to live by the same attitude. Sometimes it is hard. I have quite a few silver streaks in my hair...don't like it yet, but I'm getting there. Anyway, I still do sing and dance around the kitchen! Can't get enough of that 'rock and roll'! And, I am able to laugh a lot of things off, as others being 'stupid'! I try to have fun at work now, for as long as I'm going to be there. And, I still show up everyday after 22 years!
So! Have a great week, I'm running behind on things lately, but, at least I'm still in the running! ♥
Dearest Diane,
Oh, what a wonderful writing and SO enlightening☆☆☆ I'm close to 60 years old and feel like getting a message how I should cope with my life ahead.
Especially this part, "As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend." ; I'll keep in my mind!!!
I feel so thankful leaning a lot like your post today through blogging, my friend. Thank you very much for sharing the wonderful E-mail!
Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*
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