TO
THRIVE IN PRESENT TIME
As we grow older, it is common to have dear friends have
serious health issues
Again and yet again, we are reminded of our own mortality.
It helps to be able to grieve with empathy for their losses,
their suffering, and offer a helping hand or caring words.
It helps to use our rational mind to realize how we might
best prevent the same misfortune from impairing the quality of our own life.
Yes, we all know we need more exercise, a better diet, a
social network, friends
Who will
listen and hug us when we are struggling.
The obvious is easy to overlook, too, like the importance of
drinking more water or
Taking
time to rest or meditate when we are tired and distraught.
Growing old has many challenges we may have not faced in
earlier years. So it’s good to have friends who can remind us, in present time,
of our strengths. If we’re in our
final decades, it helps to be honest with close ones about our wishes, should
we become seriously disabled or die.
These conversations provide a reality check for us and for those we
love.
To thrive instead of simply being reactive to life’s
challenges, we do need tools
To uplift our spirits, protect our bodies and minds,
encourage pro-active behavior.
Aging is not for sissies; it does require courage to face
fears, to face loss, to be willing to downsize our expectations when they add
to our stress. Learning new skills
keeps our brains active, and saying yes to better shoes, lots of post-its,
becoming aware of our changing needs, all help us be more likely to thrive not
just survive as we become elders.
The simple rhyming poems I used
to write
Often become a sharing of my inner dialogue, not so tidy
anymore.
We need to be flexible as well as resilient, and then it is
easier to accept and learn from the unexpected in our lives.
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