yesterday i joined a senior center, which accepts people 55 and older. today, i apply for a 'golden buckeye card' which gives me a 10% discount at many businesses. and it's ok with me.
i have dreaded the 'senior' label, for it seems to define a person as nearing the end of life: old, sickly, arthritis, gravity-controlled body parts, retirement with nothing to do, cataracts, 'depends'. and worse of all... loss of independence and freedom.
having arrived now at the official age of senior, i am beginning to relax into my new life. i see now that being a senior has no real meaning to who i am. what defines me are my choices. what shall i do with my life?
today i will sign up for a painting class. later this month i will give a presentation to a group at the university of dayton. i plan to do have physical therapy in a pool. donna and i are reorganizing our roll-top desk so that i can assume responsibility of our finances. i am listening to books on cd because holding a book hurts after a short time.
i am free to make choices within my physical limits;
free to explore and expand my interests;
free to define myself.
ok, so not everything is so rosy. i deal with constant pain, with shortness of breath, with a limited immune system. some days are more difficult than others. i have nine doctors attending to my needs. i will revisit this post when life seems bleak. sometimes i need to be reminded that i freedom of mind and that i always have choices.
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