I’ve now reached the point when people talk about “aging gracefully.” I hate that idea.
To me, aging gracefully means I’m settling for what’s expected, rather than continuing to reach for new experiences and learning as many new skills as I can. It’s true that my body limits some activities these days–my knees are not nearly as strong as they were even twenty years ago, courtesy of skiing and hiking that wore them down a bit. But I refuse to let anything besides a few aching joints limit what I’m allowed to try. Not my friends, and certainly not anyone outside my inner circle.
My problem is that I recently realized I haven’t been practicing what I believe. I had a couple of injuries this year that affected my ability to write, either on a computer or by hand. Sadly, I let them slow me down far past when they were a serious problem. The fact is, I let feeling sorry for myself stop me from doing things I truly wanted to do.
That needs to stop NOW. Especially since I’m transitioning to the status of Full Time Writer on 1 January 2025.
Consider this an early resolution that I intend to keep. I commit to Living as Fiercely and as fully as possible for the rest of my life. I encourage everyone to take a risk and do the same.