Think again

Suddenly, my world is filled with people who are upper aging.  That, is at least, better than talking about hanging out with old people.  I am now at the age that I thought was really old when I was in my late teens and early twenties.  

Even talking about aging is uncomfortable for me since I am not "old" in my mind.  Actually, I really haven't decided what age I am in my head but I know it is not "old."  And, of course, when a subject is in mind, all I see are articles on "aging gracefully," ads featuring "quality of life over 65, etc.," and wonderful places to "retire" in the United States.  

Recently, I came across an article about "radiant aging," and I thought, "yup! that's it."  That is what I want to do.  I want to go into upper aging radiant, vibrant and energetic.  This is really necessary for me since my current husband is younger than me by four years.  He keeps me moving, bending, stretching and making me go through endurance stretches (long walks) or what I call, "forced marches."

Since I have formally retired and then got talked into going back to work for Sunday's only, I realize that what I need to do is work occasionally, meditate daily, keep up a reverence practice,  exercise in moderation (in fact, do anything that is disliked in moderation or stretch it out and do it only when necessary or just jump in and get it done and out of the way), do what you really love most of the time, and laugh a lot.  

My Sunday mornings are with a congregation that have not had the training that I have had and so I am always challenged to come up with easy "to do" things for a reverence practice.  In fact, most of them are new to any spiritual practice.  So, like the above paragraph, I am teaching them to pray while showering, loving themselves while brushing their teeth and doing personal grooming, blessing people with good thoughts and smiles while driving and in super market check out lines, etc.  

All of us can do this.  Whatever your "issue" or "challenge" is in life, come up with interesting things to move you "on down the road", so to speak.  I want my "road" by a wonderful journey that is amazing, interesting and filled with fun things to experience.  I believe that life shows up the way we think about it and so, figure out ways to make your thoughts support you and your life.  Allow yourself to be astonished!  It certainly makes life worth living.  Be blessed!