The swiftness at which change sweeps into my life these days still surprises me. I have observed that the older I get the greater is my ability to take things in stride. What might have seemed to be a major drama in my thirties becomes a matter of course as I approach sixty.
Loss may mound as I age, but I am always grateful when I remember to see the gifts inherent in the loss.
The older I get the less it takes to make me glad. Glad means getting to experience a big string of regular predictable days in which nothing momentous occurs good or bad.
What I might once have called a boring day is the very kind of day I now give thanks for. I call these days my Smooth Days.
Smooth Days are days in which I get to set the tempo; I live free form.
Smooth Days are days in which I can wander about inside and out taking the time to play with my cats and to nuzzle my face in their sun-warmed furry tummies.
Smooth Days are day in which I take the time to peel and chop mounds of different vegetables so that I can have a ready made salad bar in my refrig.
Smooth Days happen when I let myself trust my gut about what to do next.
Shall I continue working on a project?
Shall I garden?
Shall I read? Shall I just lie flat on my back on my bed looking through the skylight at my longleaf pine tree.
I lie on my back on my bed as I write.
I see the huge old pine from my skylight.
I feel a connection to this tree.
It stands tall and proud, for it has braved hurricane force winds, frosty Florida winter nights and searing summer Florida suns.
I will be a pine tree.
I will live three hundred years of life in this life I have left.
I so much relate to what you say. There is nothing better to me than a day with absolutely nothing I have to do but, if I choose, chop veggies, read recipes, take a walk with the dog, ride my bike, lay on the couch and listen to the news or music, etc. I'm grateful to have these days and this life. No more of the drama of younger days. I watch my daughter and her dramas and realize I don't miss that at all.
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