Getting older

I’m enjoying getting older. Most days I wake up feeling like a little kid on Christmas morning. What is going to be in the gift called today? Some days I tear into my gift with energy and joy relishing everything. Other days I like to savor my gift. I admire the wrappings noticing details and peel back the layers. And when I go to bed at night, I fall asleep knowing that a new gift will be waiting for me when I open my eyes. Ah, it is wonderful.

My days weren’t always like that. I used to be a coward. I was afraid to live life to the fullest or do anything that would attract attention to me. It felt like if I liked it or did it, it was wrong or bad. Even with mundane things. Like one day when I was in my 30s a neighbor stopped by and commented that our house smelled like popcorn. Well, it did. I had just made popcorn and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I made some stupid excuse and apologized. WHY!? I have no idea. If that person came over today I would have them sitting on my back porch eating 3 different kinds of popcorn while we tried to figure out which wine goes with. Geez. Really. I was such a coward and I have no idea where that came from. (to be honest, I think a Citron Dragon martini goes better with popcorn than wine. . . but I’m still researching.)

Oh, those were wasted days. And THAT is why I like getting older. The years bring wisdom, and a boldness that I love. And, I think that the years also bring a playfulness that just didn’t seem proper when I was in my 30s. It could be, too, that with age I now know that I don’t have to jump through all of the hoops just because they are there. I jump through whatever hoop I want. . . .and knowing me, I’ll take the damn hoop and hula hoop with it.

Yes, it is wonderful.


"It’s a sad day when you find out that it’s not accident or time or fortune, but just yourself that kept things from you. – Lillian Hellman"