It was an ordinary day. Reading a small story written in my ARRP Magazine that was titled 'Turning 80-And Looking Ahead." Fun little article that I thought I would rewrite for my blog, since it so appropriate! So...thanks to Judith Ruskay Rabinor...I post this story today.
EIGHTY! OH NO! Colliding emotions rattle my brain as I approach my 80th birthday. I am no longer getting older - I had arrived. I knew I was privileged. Reaching 80 in fairly good health will be a gift not granted to everyone. I have much to be grateful for. And, I anticipate more joy in my life. Here's why.
PEOPLE - When a grandchild asks me an intriguing question, I am transported to my youth. "Would you want to live even if you are in a wheelchair?" asks a grandson. "Do you believe in God?" asks his brother. Young minds enliven me.
WORK - My professional identity has been as an Industrial Arts teacher. Loved every minute of it while teaching students how to set type by hand, place the type in a chase and run a printing press. Also enjoyed teaching more modern methods of printing such as offset printing and even teaching classes in photography where we would take a roll of film, develop it, and make prints of all the negatives. You can't imagine how exciting it is to see a print appear in front of you in a tray of developer! Watching student's eyes on their first day in the darkroom is one never to be missed. I also spent a few years working for a former student matting and framing artwork and photography. Now, I still love writing. I have almost reached 5,300 stories on this blog site with close to one million visits. I might even have another story or two, or a hundred, or maybe even a thousand in me before I'm out of ideas, or perhaps my hands give-up striking the keyboard!
PLAY - In the words of one of my favorite quotes, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." Making and taking time for play revitalizes wellness on all fronts - mind, body and spirit. How true that statement is! I still do enjoy many sports, but fear that my body was punished too much as I was growing up that it is now fighting back to leave it alone. I still love the sport of pool, if you can call that a sport! To watch the balls collide and head in the direction you had planned for them to go is an amazing sight. And that fist bump is still a great ending, no matter what sport it may be.
TAKING RISKS - My wife and I are trying to decide if we should renew our passports. In this season of life, journeys such as perhaps a repeat trip to the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten, still intrigues my wife and myself. We have been so lucky already in our lives to have traveled to such exciting and exotic places such as Hawaii, Florida, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Italy, Turks & Caicos, Barbados, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Tortola, St. Croix, Antigua, British West Indies, various US states and the nearby Chesapeake Bay Area. But...our favorite island location still remains St. Martin/Sint Maarten. Have met so many interesting and beautiful people on those connecting island sites. How lucky we both are to have this time to tap into dormant resources. Who knows what new passions might emerge in the next decade...if we may be that lucky! But...I do have to remember my body and the stress it can put on it with journeys to exotic places. But, then again, maybe it may just want to see one or two such beautiful places! I must do a bit more consulting!!
It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
Hello, Get those passports. Your wife and your body will thank you for it. We will be here w2aiting for your return with more great stories and pictures. Yeah Yeah. Pony girl
ReplyDeleteHello again. I meant to write waiting.
ReplyDelete