Thirty Some Odd Years Left…

My film-maker son asked me,

“Who’s the oldest living relative you’ve known…?”

“My grandmother on my mother’s side who was 98 when she died…” I replied to his smile on Face Time.

“Wow,” Ian said, “Then you’ve got potentially 30 some odd years left.”

“Don’t say that!”  I said thinking, only 30 years?

I have to admit I’m in a bit of a rush to get everything I want to do done before that 30 years draws to a close.

In order to gain perspective I think of my first thirty years and if I am honest with myself I can only really remember clearly, without the help of photographs, 20-23 of those years.

Then the next thirty years was all about marriage, having a family and raising children.

Luckily the children really do give the best perspective because 30 years ago my oldest was just one and the other three weren’t around yet.

So let’s look at 24 years ago, my children were seven, five, three and one and although each year brought another birthday they seemed to be super – dependent forever!

Until they had all left college and moved out of our house Time Stood Still.

Which of course it didn’t!

A lot happened.

A lot, a lot happened!

And my parents died and I started watching the clock.

Time3

But thirty years can stretch on if I live it mindfully and don’t go into a tailspin of panic afraid to start something new because:

“It won’t be for very long…”

“I’m too old…”

“I had my chance…”

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks…”

“There’s not enough time…”

Thirty years is a while…

But the unrelenting truth trips me up in my haste, I am well into the Autumn of my life.

And who knows what will happen next? I think fearfully.

I’m just going to start talking back to my soul sapping thoughts…

“Just because slowing down with age is common among my peers it doesn’t mean I have to jump on the bandwagon,” I tell myself.

I am unique,

Time1

I am unique

no-one else has my metabolism,

my outlook on life,

my mental acuity.

I don’t want to be anyone else,

I’m happy being me,

the Created,

the Beloved,

the Redeemed.

Now that I’ve got that straight there’s plenty of time to uncross my front teeth,

finish my old family photo album,

start writing a new book,

learn how to ride a horse,

find someone to take me up in a little plane,

digitize a lifetime of photos,

visit India,

spend a year in Australia,

open a retreat centre (or a wedding venue),

run a 5K,

teach yoga classes,

learn about wine making,

finesse the milking of a goat,

raise giant sunflowers,

Time2

wield a chainsaw,

walk along the Appalachians…

…and the list goes on.

I know the saying goes that I should live each day as if it’s my last…but that sounds too exhausting,

So I’ll live each day as a gift, a blessing, a ray of sunshine in a bed of flowers,

Time4

a challenge.

I’ll offer it up to God and say cheers to my ‘thirty some odd years left…’ and thanks to my son who started all this!

Alleluia!

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ElRay

2017-07-05 23:01:58 Reply

I hope I am around for all 30. So far it’s been wonderful.

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