Why Not Just Do It
Yes, I’m just going to do it!
That’s how it ended after a lot of self-talk about whether or not to resume my blog. I swung back and forth. Yes, I have things to say and write about. No, I’m too old with nothing worthwhile for anyone to read. Enough already.
Why not just do it!
So here I am. A restart of kateslonglivedlife.com. Hoping to continue a busy life as I march toward my goal of 120 years of age. I have no earth-shaking news or advice. There will just be insights on how I live my life with a sprinkling of information that might prove useful to a reader.
Certainly there is no shortage of information out there on the subject of aging. One site I visit regularly is Sixty and Me. There are posts on a wide variety of subjects, many of them supplied by wanna-be bloggers like me. I first started using it for a daily crossword puzzle. Now I check it for all sorts of information from health and beauty, relationships, finances and yes, of course, aging. It’s well worth the time to check it out.
Another site I enjoy is WOW — Women’s Older Wisdom. Founder Pat Taub is journalist and activist for women’s rights. She and her guests are not shy about delving into issues and politics of the day. I learn a lot from those gals.
I started my blog to focus on aging and longevity, deviating slightly for a year after losing Mike. They will continue to be topics I cover, so I reached for my bulging file of some of my earlier thoughts. This Tibetan proverb caught my eye.
Eat Half
Walk double
Laugh triple
Love without measure
As I dug deeper I found an article by clinical psychologist Mary Pipher, a fellow Nebraskan. The Joy of Being a Woman in her 70’s was written in 2019, so Mary is now well into her 80’s and no doubt continuing to write and counsel women and others on the art of aging. I remember her book, Women Rowing North; Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age. Both documents brought back memories of the advice she gave.
Like the only thing I can be fairly certain in the years ahead is change. There will be some of the changes I won’t like or seemingly can do nothing about, but I will always have a choice. And how that choice plays out will largely be influenced by the attitude I have toward it. As Mary says, “With intention and focused attention, we can always move forward.” And if I can continue to grow, to learn, to find bliss in the everyday, I will move through that change knowing that this life is a miracle and it is a privilege to be alive.
Enough — for now.