AS PARADOXES GO 

I don't remember exactly how long ago it was when people started asking me about, or just commenting on how fast time flies by as you get older. It is a true paradox. Now, this to me was a sign that since I thought of these people as old, and they're prompting me with this bit of paradoxical information; then these people were looking at me as if I could identify with it. Therefore, they must have recognized that I was about their same age or older. So, I guess I do qualify as older. I have also talked to my siblings and peers about this phenomenon. What I have gleaned from these conversations is this:

When we are young, we just can’t wait for Christmas, Easter, summer camp, the circus and summer vacation from school. All of those wonders are full of surprises, special comfort foods, candy, surprises and fun times. As we get older, those things become less exciting to us until they’re just another holiday that’s zooming up our rear ends. They not only zoom up on us, they become costly, require a lot of time (not enough) to prepare for and are just plain not looked forward to with as much zeal, relish and enthusiasm as they were in our youth.

It’s not just that we have gotten bored with these wonderful times. We have just already seen and experienced these things, and we require new experiences and surprises. In Louisiana it might be referred to as a lagniappe. This means (roughly), an unexpected pleasant surprise. That’s not exactly what Merriam-Webster says, but you get my drift. Maybe that’s not even hitting the nail on the head, but we starting looking for things that we might have we missed, and we start asking our selves, “What happened?" How could I have missed that, let it slip by?

You wake up one morning and there’s a strange older person staring back at you in the bathroom mirror, asking what you’re doing here. "Who’s that older person in the mirror?” Then you start seeing this person on a daily basis, identifying with and you start talking back to him/her. “I never saw that before!" "Wow! Where’d that come from?.....you know, that stuff drooping down over your/my/our belt?" ...and "How did I miss that white hair on my chin?" ...or "Hey! Our chest looks like it’s been slept in!” …and, “Those boobs would look so much better in a pair of support hose.” This is when you really know you have reached the age where you look much better in clothes than out of them.

I used to have a pretty good singing voice.....great range and clarity.  The voice is still here, but it's very much strained with less and less range.  I sound much better in the shower or just humming along with old tunes I love.  On another note (pardon the pun), I know many of my contemporaries struggle with the same singing challenges that I do, and they still love to sing along.

We start appreciating things we would never have appreciated as a child……a visit or a phone call from our kids, a cousin, or an old friend, a sight-seeing vacation, where you don’t see water parks or Mickey and Goofy, a little road trip in the country, a good report from our doctor, the adoration from grandchildren, the trust of your loyal old dog, occasionally getting out of bed in the morning without aching and limping.  Now I gracefully swing my legs over the side of bed, planting my feet firmly on the floor, and slowly straighten up while silently directing myself..... "Back straight, shoulders back, chin up and proceed gracefully to the kitchen for a cup of coffee."  After my stroll to the kitchen, it's easier, but I still have to remind myself to straighten my posture. 

I get the feeling here, that I’m starting to frighten the next generation. Listen up! Pay attention! This stuff does happen. Well, it’s not really all that bad. You also start to discover, appreciate and use freedoms and talents you never knew you had before. You try new things, and You finally have time for the things you had wished to have time for in your child rearing days. You take a picture of a spider web in the morning dew that you might have just knocked down a few years ago (if you get up that early). Learn to cook just for two again. You discover new interests, or are at least willing to try new things……Well, I am, and I’m finding out that I’m pretty darn good at things I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing years ago.

Over the years I received various types of beading paraphernalia from my wonderful family. The Royster has given me beautiful beads on many occasions.  I love stringing them up into something beautiful, and thinking of the people I love while I play with the beads. Just look at all the colors and textures!  It's like going into a different world as I work. Hey! This is great! Roy's cleaned out a spot in the garage just for me. To me, that's true love. He's sharing his garage/shop with me after many long years. 

There are so many things to be grateful for. We're both in pretty good health for our age.....a comfortable home, family and friends that we love and keep in touch with.  We live in a pleasant neighborhood with  great neighbors, a wonderful, goofy and entertaining dog that keeps us on our toes, and a wonderful hobby that lets me be creative. Roy picked up arrowhead collecting, and has covered every available wall with these old, historical points.  He's also a really good photographer.  To quote Joe Ely, "The Road goes on forever and the party never ends!"  We got to see him in Houston years ago at Rockefeller's.  He was a little ball of raw energy.

This isn't bad at all. I think I'll just continue with it, and start experiencing new things and finding excitement around every corner. Listen, kids! You'll never know until you get there. There's nothing really to be afraid of. This is great!