Reimagining My "one precious" Life

Today I read words by a woman who has turned 63 and is planning the rest of her life or how to regenerate her life as she grows older. I am in the place where I will be regenerating my life soon. Leaving the life I have lived here in my mountain home, to make new friends, find new activities, and new ways I can help others, particularly in the writing field. I already have some plans, but I am not ready to voice them yet.

Read the article in Sixty and Me and see if what she says relates to your life and your future.

https://sixtyandme.com/create-new-life-story/

This is a sample of what she writes:

"A friend of mine went to Argentina to learn how to Tango when she was in her 60s and still teaches Tango lessons today in her 80s! How fabulous!

Write your visions down. Begin to collate a vision book and add to it with pictures, quotes, and research how you might bring your visions to life. Everything in our life begins first in the imagination. It is here that dreams are born and built upon. Creating a vision book is a powerful actionable step towards creating a new life story. This is your template from which you can add to and build on."

Aging doesn't have to mean the end. As long as we can breathe, talk, think, and communicate, we can build a new way of life. My sister, in her late seventies, began ballroom dance classes. For several years she has been dancing two or three times each week. She is preparing to dance in a competition (in her age group) in the fall. I am so proud of her. She loves to dance and it keeps her fit. She can lift and carry heavy loads. She is strong and healthy because she quit leading a sedentary lifestyle. She is happier as well.

I regenerated my life after Barry died. I opened my writing studio, Writers Circle Around the Table, where I taught writing, and brought wonderful writers and poets here so others could learn how to improve their writing. Many of us enjoyed those years with three-hour classes where we made new friends while we shared our writing with each other. Many of the writers who attended these classes are published writers now. 

I had to learn how to make the project work for me and for all who were involved. I did not have funds set aside to pay people who came here to Hayesville. But the wonderful men and women who taught at my table agreed that we would set reasonable fees for the workshops, give the instructor an opportunity to hold a public reading where he/she could sell their books, and I would divide the fees between me and the one who was teaching. No one made lots of money, but I received enough to pay my expenses and serve refreshments for each class. The best payment for me was meeting so many new writers who are still friends today. 

For ten years Writers Circle Around the Table fulfilled my dreams and helped me through my grief. I like to learn and I like to teach. My studio fulfilled both of those interests.  During those ten years, I also was voted by the majority of our members to become Program Coordinator for NCWN-West, an organization I have supported and been a leader in since its infancy.

It seems strange that I will be embarking on another attempt to reinvigorate my life before long. But I am ready to make my plans and get busy. 

If you are at an age when you wonder what you will do with the rest of your "one precious life" following Sixty and Me's Astrid Longhurst advice might be all you need.

Let me know if this applies to you and if you are getting ready to make new plans.

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you will come back.

gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com  

Co-Author of Paws, Claws, Hooves, 
Feathers and Fins

AGEING WELL TAKES FOCUS AND PLANNING

Maintaining friendships and being socially active are important parts of healthy, happy aging. This is one of the most important activities for us as we grow older. This keeps us out of the hospital.

We have found this more difficult during the pandemic as we isolated ourselves from others, especially close family and friends. I found myself becoming depressed and unhappy for a while in 2020. It made me realize how much I enjoyed and depended on having a social life with friends and family.

The isolation was extremely hard for those of us who live alone with no partner to talk with. Many of us turned to food to soothe our feelings and often we ate the wrong things. I know I craved my comfort foods - mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, bread, especially biscuits. I found myself wanting ice cream and cake at ten o'clock at night.

This is what I should eat:

 Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel and sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty fish lower levels of beta-amyloid which is a protein that causes Alzheimer’s, says a study by Tufts University.

I wish I knew a good way to eat sardines - a way to make them taste good. If anyone has a suggestion, please tell me.

I have become quite fond of salmon now. I buy fresh wild-caught salmon each week and have at least two meals from it. I also buy canned salmon and thanks to my dear departed friend, Ginny, I mix it with a little mayo, pickle juice and I eat it with crackers. Delicious. Makes a great lunch.

As we grow older our body changes, and it is even more important to have healthy eating habits. 

Our metabolism slows, and our senses of smell and taste can change. I know mine has, especially since I had a virus in early 2020 before COVID 19 tests were available.

I have never been one to eat lots of processed food. I have always bought fresh produce, fresh meats and dairy. That was the food I ate growing up on the farm. I cook much like my mother cooked. But that means I have to cook every day.  One of the problems as we age is we often don't feel like standing in the kitchen for long periods and preparing food. 

With my recent health issues, I can't stand long before I am in pain. So, I want to take shortcuts with my meals. If it takes thirty minutes to make a meal, I am too fatigued to clean up the kitchen after I eat. I am more inclined to eat out because of this. 

Malnutrition is one of the major health problems with older adults. My brother, in his nineties, tells me he doesn't get hungry and eats very little. He is extremely thin and I worry about him. However, he does take supplements religiously, and I hope that will keep him from becoming malnourished. 

Last year I was fortunate to have someone do my food shopping. But I still had to prepare it. Now I am going to the grocery market and stopping at the roadside stands for corn and tomatoes. This time of year, I really enjoy fresh Georgia peaches, vine-ripened tomatoes like my daddy grew, and corn on the cob so sweet you don't need to season it.

We know that our diet must be high in fiber, vegetables, fruits, and lean protein. These foods keep our energy up and aid our slow digestion. I have learned that I must limit red meat in my diet. I am learning how I can get protein from other sources. Beans are good but green leafy vegetables, spinach and collards and turnips are good for me. I try to eat them every week also. Like most people in the United States, I eat chicken every way possible.

My biggest problem with health care is a lack of physical exercise. 

A study conducted in Sweden found exercise to be the number one contributor to long life.  I want to walk, swim, to dance, but recently my balance is not too good and chronic pain interferes. Our muscles stiffen and shorten when we do not exercise but stretching improves that. Five minutes of stretching daily can make all the difference. That is why I feel so much better after my PT appointment. With physical therapy and my determination to keep moving, I am getting stronger and managing my life better and better.

Having a purpose in life is important to age well. 

Although I am visiting my sister and enjoying a vacation, I have responsibilities for my work. That is another reason to enjoy life and accept the challenges I face as I mature in wisdom. I have a purpose.