I have this idea called "The Old Age Diary." All of my friends have heard me refer to it. The concept is simple. Create a book, listing what kind of person I want to be when I am in my Golden Years. Here is a snapshot of what mine looks like...
1. Any trip to the bathroom should take minutes, not hours. It is NOT a field trip for heavens sake!
2. Routines are great. Break them often to make life more interesting.
3. Make myself valuable. Volunteer at the local school/library/church, go new places, take a city class, get a personal trainer, try to do one new thing every week.
4. Create a hand signal for my friends and family to use when I'm repeating a story like I've never told it before. Don't get mad or defensive, just laugh it off!
5. If someone or something made me mad and I'm still talking about it with venom a year later, decide to let it go...or get therapy.
6. I am not too old to learn new technology...it could make me feel more connected to the world and people I love.
7. Family and friends won't tell me what is really going on in their lives if I go into worry/fret mode. Worry is just another expression of fear, and they don't need MORE of that. Pray for them, encourage them, and ask if I can help.
8. Buy a new pair of "HOT" jeans...just because I can. Work it girl!
9. While I'm at it...buy some beautiful bras and panties. No grannies for this granny!
10. Call family and friends regularly. Speak less, listen more, ask questions, always leave them with encouragement.
11. Walk in the rain, stomp in puddles, explore, get messy, roll in the grass, play.
12. Allow people I trust into my life that will tell me the truth, and then really listen to them!
13. Refuse to live in fear. Jesus said "fear not" 365 times in the Bible...one for each day!
14. Don't deny that it is time to use a cane, get hearing aids, or ask for help.
15. Allow more positive then negative words to exit my mouth.
16. Don't sit at home alone waiting for the world to come to me and make me happy. Get out there and find a place where I can interact with people and belong.
17. Laugh like it's my job...everyday!
I want to live each day of my life believing I have something to offer the world, engaging my mind, body, and spirit. My kids sometimes ask me, "When will I die?" My answer is always, "God has a long to-do list for each person in this world. When that list has been completed He says Well Done and rewards you with Heaven." Until the day that I meet God face to face, I believe He has a purpose for my life, and my to-do list is not finished. This means that He believes my life has meaning every day that I am on this earth regardless of my age. I choose to thank Him for every breath by giving, loving, serving, and showing others the joy He has put into my heart.
What would your "Old Age Diary" look like?
22 comments:
Love this idea! My mom tells me things like this occassionally - usually when we've been dealing with my grandmother (her Mother-In-Law). We're suppose to tell her "MOM- stop acting like GH!...like by then she'll remember having told us to say that now :O).
Fab idea... I'm going to add this to my Journal Topics. Thanks!
to be fierce every. single. day. much like being a mom isn't an excuse to look homeless (though I seem to be rockin' that look more and more these days) neither is being an old lady. i hope to still wear heels, even with my walker (if that's allowed) or at least some fashionable flats. and I REFUSE to be able to tie my boobs around my waist! I will have an awesome bra that keeps everything where it should be!
This is a wonderful attitude in which to approach aging! I think you'll be pretty spry.
That is very good idea and I think we all should have it.
Right now you inspired me to look for the butterflies and find my passion. I decided to dig deep and figure out why at the age of 40 I never seize any moments. It's interesting and little bit scary road...
Love this idea...but what if you forget the hand signal?? I already have alzheimer's!!
AND GET RID OF YOUR WORD VERIFICATION!! Sorry, didn't mean to shout at you.
Love you lots!!
Great list! I'd like to add one to mine: Sing out loud. Especially at a four way stop (if I'm still driving) so all the other cars can see me drumming my hands and singing to my favorite song. It'll make'em laugh, or at least smile, and make me happy to know I still got it!
I love your list! Can I just copy and paste it to my diary? ;)
wow. this is great!! i love your list and i agree with all of them. :)
Fabulous idea & list. I try not to think about getting old too much, but you're right---it doesn't have to be this looming, depressing, awful thing. We can make it fun for ourselves & those around us.
What a wonderful idea!!! Thank you for this.
At work, the RNs have to call patients to get their medical history and meds, and when ever they are on the phone with the elderly I have to stop and smile. I can see myself being the lil old lady who says "Forgive me dear because this is going to be one heck of a phone call. My memory is about gone. My eyesight sucks. But ask away"
XO
MJ
Dirty Little Confessions
My husband and I talk about this subject a lot. What will we do with ourselves to stay useful when the kids are grown and gone? The answer, golf! When I see senior couples playing golf together, it just makes me smile. I think it keeps you young. That being said, I have never played anything but miniature golf, gator golf and Wii golf, but I've got some time to learn!
I don't know, but I certainly hope it looks like yours. My question is when are were "there"? I heard a doctor answer a question on some show yesterday. A woman who was 51 asked why she couldn't use the nasal flu vaccine. The doctor replied that while she might not like to talk about it, 51 was considered old. Older people can't take the live vaccine. I found myself defensive...old? 51? No it can't be. Old is blue hair, short poly pants and granny shoes with ties. Old isn't Chico's jeans, Black-Eyed Peas and flip flops. I just don't fit the mold and I'm glad.
Sue
Very inspirational post! Kind of made me tear up a little! Ok, so that happens a lot (especially for the last...oh...8 years or so!) but it always means something when I do! Gave me something to think about! Beautiful!!!
I want to be like my mother-in-law, who went on a zip line over the Costa Rican rain forest as part of her 70th birthday gift to herself; who had a hip replacement, and six weeks later was back at her tap dancing class; who has the BEST pictures from the photographic safari she went on in Kenya last year -- for her 75th birthday.
She's my hero.
That is an awesome idea! I'm afraid I haven't given much thought to it other than I'll still be married to my sweetie. Looking forward to celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in T minus 34 years to go. Woohoo!
p.s. Your line "I have something to offer the world" really spoke to me. We should all live that out loud. Thanks!
Great idea!!! We should all make one!
I am totally going to have to think abot this. You had some hilarious points and some very important ones!
Holly
At the top of my list would be "Beat kids at Guitar Hero 80".. it doesn't matter if they're related to me or not, as long as I beat them.
I'm living mine now.....isn't that the underlying message? Old is just a state of mind?
I do want to wish you luck with the whole bathroom thing....it will, one day, become more of a field trip.
And about that pretty underwear thing? I find the wise elders opt for comfort first. So if pretty means cotton briefs, I'm betting I'll sign up for it when the time comes.
Wonderful post! I have a mom who has been "old" since she was in her 30's, I swear. She doesn't like to play, she loves to complain about every single ailment plaguing her that day, and she lives with worry. I pray for her and hope that she will change, but the best thing her behavior does for me is remind me of the person I DON'T want to be as I age.
sigh*
OK - well first of all - I thought I was already following you but just discovered I wasn't. So I am now! YAY! *new follower*
I love this post about the diary - your list is GREAT and how I want to live out my golden years also!
good inspiration!!
Tami G
Funny you wrote about this...although I am just rounding the corner towards 40 I have been thinking a lot about the woman I will become when I get "old". Maybe it is because there is a commercial along the none the less it has been on my mind. Thank you for the inspiration, I may have to write some things down and then pull them out to read as I round the corner towards 80.
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