My reaction to turning 70 a few months ago has been unexpected. I hardly stopped to notice the other decade markers…as they say, life got in the way. At 30, our daughter was born, at 40 we had just made a monumental move to Maine. I was in the prime of my career at 50 and at 60 moved to Maryland to be close to family. So I naturally expected 70 to be a breeze.
Don’t believe it when you hear a phrase such as “70 is the new 50 (or 30, or 40)! In what seems like the blink of an eye I have gone from late middle age to early senior citizen. I am looking at the last big chunk of my life. At least I hope it’s big.
Let’s get the physical stuff out of the way. I have never been a real athlete, the kind that lives for a run or strenuous walk every day or an intense workout at the gym. Walking a dog a mile or two is my kind of exercise. Even though I usually hit the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week I am not anywhere close to being in shape. In my 50’s I had a fling with fitness and it felt very good-trying to get back there now seems just about impossible.
Looking in the mirror I am not happy with what I see. And short of a face lift there is really nothing that can be done about most of it. So, a heavy dose of acceptance is in order and I’m guessing I’ll need more and more of that as time goes on.
Seemingly all of a sudden I have a cardiologist and am in the hospital having a heart cath-where oh where did that come from? (And everything is fine. They found nothing, as I knew they would).
All of us have dreams of things we want to do, places we’d like to go, or some aspirational goals. And for a long time it seems like we have all the time in the world to accomplish these. Turning 70 I’ve realized that is not the case-some of those desires will be unfulfilled. Here's on of mine: I’ve always wanted to perform Bach’s Passacaglia and Widor’s Toccata. I’ve studied both and even played the Toccata poorly at a wedding. But now, with no nearby organ to practice on, those works will not become part of my repertoire.
For years I’ve wanted to enjoy hiking, to find joy in puttering in the garden, to write a book. Well, I’d better get busy. There’s still time.
I realize that one can look at this chapter of life in various ways. We can have regrets, we can try to look 10 years younger, we can ignore the stirrings of our souls that call for attention. Or we can continue to live and find meaning and purpose in this new stage of life. Finally there is time to be who we truly are. I want to make the most of it.
This is where your life has arrived,
After all the years of effort and toil;
Look back with graciousness and thanks
On all your great and quiet achievements.
You stand on the shore of new invitation
To open your life to what is left undone;
Let your heart enjoy a different rhythm
When drawn to the wonder of other horizons.
Have the courage for a new approach to time;
Allow it to slow until you find freedom
To draw alongside the mystery you hold
And befriend your own beauty of soul.
Now is the time to enjoy your heart’s desire,
To live the dreams you’ve waited for,
To awaken the depths beyond your work
And enter into your infinite source.
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