ONE THING’S certain: throughout life, the plot always thickens as time goes by. For a moment, it might appear to start out ever so simply, then slowly, it will begin to gravitate towards becoming more complex, with situations that often twist and turn, as though to test your mettle, while you continue on in your life journey.
This is why I am always both inspired and intrigued whenever I read autobiographies of notable people, heroes really, who have somehow managed to hold out and win through seemingly extraordinary doses of life trials and adversities.
Though many won’t admit it, we relate to them, believing that deep inside each of us, we are heroes also, even if only in our own movie.
For how long that belief stays, I would say, is as long as we’re mindful of our self-value. This is why, nowadays, it’s inspiring to know there’s a growing acceptance and awareness of “self-wellness.”
This is important, most especially for us seniors who, safe to say, have already reached more than halfway through our lifetime. Surely, for one, and by employing simple logic, I will not be able to reach double my age anymore.
Even if that were true, I cannot imagine myself blowing out candles on a birthday cake marked 142! The imagery of that is enough to revive the Highlander’s cry, “there can only be one!”
Some of my friends hate it when we talk about such gross topics like death and mortality. Strictly forbidden ground for us who, ironically, begin to smell like the earth already.
I sense they would rather opt to slide into a more comfortably wide range of safe topics which glorify good old days and a happier era.
In one meeting with older tennis buddies, I found myself giving more respect to those who bravely opened up about their illnesses and mortality, and gave less attention to those smileys who only favored good times.
As I have learned from so many old souls who have gone ahead, it is this bare-teeth brand of honesty that I favor and treat more fondly. Definitely better than whines and moans or the projected and forced laughter by pretenders.
In the end, just being true might suffice. Life’s, after all, life’s no contest and definitely no right or wrong answers in its many quizzes.
Enjoy the ride, some might say, or just ride the wave. Stop looking back or griping over the past. Just eyes ahead, no rushing and no jumping. We all will have our turn. Just tread ever lightly and try to be kind always.
