Monday, July 7, 2008

GROWING OLDER AND BETTER

That is a picture of the Beautiful MS Gulf Coast. Where I have lived since 1970 and it is this sight that people come from miles around to see. I am blessed to be living here and very grateful. It is hard to be unhappy for long, in a place like this. There is something about the splashing waves and the crying of the Seagulls, that just restores your soul and brings peace.

I started this blog on growing older and how I deal with it, in an effort to put growing older in perspective. I wanted to share my memories and maybe touch a common chord with others about growing older. Growing old is not for sissies that's for sure. Sharing your feelings with others who may be trying to come to grips with the same things you are, does help. I try not to live in the past, but I find my mind wonders back there from time to time, back to good memories. That is not to say, that I don't have bad ones, I do, but they are not the ones that define me.

I find that after all is said and done, I have had a good life. I have regrets of course, things I could have handled better but you can't change things by beating yourself up. We need to stop throwing up camp around our mistakes and move on. Looking back on the "could have, should haves" is no way to spend the precious time we are given. We never know what lies beyond the mountain, till we reach the other side, so I'll just keep on practicing until I
get it right.

Along the way I have learned not to sweat the small stuff, and it truly is mostly small stuff we stress over. I try to find something I can feel good about each day and if the day is not perfect, that's okay. God never promised us an easy journey, just a soft landing. I have a deep emotional bond to my dysfunctional life. LOL...so I sure don't plan on checking out any time soon.

3 comments:

CurtissAnn said...

Oh, honey, what a great bit of wisdom to read this morning! Must be something in the air-- 'don't set up camp around my regrets'. I will remember, and this morning you have added perspective and joy and laughter to my day. Thanks!

Oh, and I'm headin' down your way this weekend-- gonna see my babies in Mobile!

Eve said...

You should have beautiful weather. Maybe an afernoon shower and a little hot, but in Mobile, they have tropical breezes off the Gulf so it isn't so bad. Have a wonderful time, as I know you will.

smilnsigh said...

Cool that you started this blog, about growing older and how to deal with it!!! I am old. 71 has to be old! :-) But not as 'old' as I intend to become. :-)))

So wonderful! I like the idea of going on this journey with you. Sharing some things we have thought of.

And I surely have thought of not giving in to regrets. Nor to guilt of any kind. Both those things do nothing constructive, and do many things non-constructive. And are a waste of precious time! And we both know we should not, not, not waste any of our precious time!

Lovely photo. And your area must be lovely. We both love the ocean, though we live no where near it. We used to visit Cape Cod every Autumn, for years. But my husband has eye troubles and can't drive much anymore, so that's over. But we have lovely memories of walking along and sitting on the lovely beaches of Cape Cod. :-) And memories are nice too.

Please go out and drink in the sound and sight of the surf and of your lovely Gulf Coast... For yourself, and for me. Like having an extra piece of a yummy dessert, which I can't have any more... because of Lactose Intolerance. -giggles-

I asked a blog friend to do just that {the dessert she made that day} for me the other day. She did, and she told her husband that she was having the 2nd piece, because Mari-Nanci told her to!!!

Hugs,
'Miss' Mari-Nanci
{Yes, I am channeling my inner "Southern Lady Of A Certain Age"!!! Gonna' call myself "Miss Mari-Nanci" from now on. If I can't get people up here, to call me that, I shall call myself that! So there!!!} :-)
Smilnsigh blog