Hello and Good Day… Thanks for stopping by ‘Terry’s Thoughts.’ Always appreciate You taking the time to stop by. I know You have many choices on what to check-out and that You have chosen my blog means a lot. Thank You!
I turned 70 yesterday… I don’t celebrate birthdays with candles and cake, (although, I do love my sweets and cake is always welcome – lol)! Instead, we received a major winter storm for the weekend and Denise and I spent our Sunday going out every few hours to shovel out to stay ahead of the storm’s snow fall which was steady from Saturday, 3:30pm to Sunday evening 7:00pm…when over, Mother Nature dropped 11 inches of snow, (thankfully, the freezing rain, sleet, ice stayed well south of us). The picture I included with the article is my birthday present — a winter wonderland and clear driveway! (btw: don’t let the bright, sunny day fool You… we are now dealing with brutal temps only in single digits during the day and negative temps at night for the entire week!)
No big party. No dramatic epiphany… although, my Son, (Justin), asked me; “how I was feeling now that I’m 70?”
I told him I was actually feeling very good about this age, more than I have of any previous birthday… not that I was not feeling good about (any) previous birthday in my Life. This one, although I can’t believe I’m 70, feels very different -and- in an extremely positive way!
Maybe it is I am finally ready to tell myself a few truths I’ve spent decades avoiding.
Aging doesn’t arrive like this past weekend’s storm. It arrives quietly, every day with all those little wonders in our lives; in the mornings and late nights, in conversations, in special moments with Family, watching your Children and GrandChildren grow, etc. etc etc.
And so, maybe it’s because I feel that this decade isn’t punishment, it’s about giving permission!
And that’s when the truths started showing up — uninvited but necessary.
My muscles and body after a workout like to remind me I’m no longer 30!
But my heart? It still lights when I’m with my Wife, Children and GrandChildren.
I still remember the songs from the best years of my Life.
Aging on the outside doesn’t mean we are done on the inside.
We are still allowed to dream. Still allowed to change. Still allowed to want more.
The calendar doesn’t get to decide our joy — We do.
Peace is something we build, not something we stumble into.
I used to believe peace would come with retirement: less work = less stress, (which it indeed does). However, peace is not automatic. It is intentional -and- we must embrace the fact we create the peace around us by (seeing) all of our accomplishments from our hard work, dedication and commitment, (both personal & professional). Take solace in the Life we have been blessed with and fortunate to have lived -and- continue to live!
I’m also accepting to learn which people deserve my energy and recognize many people once in my Life are now a distance apart, ( which occurs naturally). I have a habit of wanting to hold on to those that matter to me and not like to accept that (some) will drift away.
I choose a quiet moment over discussions with someone who will never want to listen to our viewpoint unless it is the same as theirs, (especially true in this moment of time). I’m accepting Peace is a skill – and appears most of us don’t learn that until our hair turns gray.
Happiness is in the small things, (it always has been). Although, the world tells us that happiness is a new house, bigger car, a fatter bank account. We can’t deny a feeling of happiness when we do acquire (any) of those items.
Although, the temporary feeling of happiness we get is just that, temporary. True happiness is the smaller things in Life; time with your Wife/Partner, watching your Children grow up to be Amazing Adults/Parents, your GrandChildrens’ laughs, a call from someone who still remembers your birthday, those sunrises & sunsets that stop You and take your breath away… You know what I mean and the list goes on!
At 70, I realized something almost embarrassing: all the moments I rushed through where the moments that were building me!
And now, more than ever, I accept it’s never too late to start showing up for ourself.
We spend so much of our Life taking care of others that when they no longer need us, we look around and wonder who the heck are we now?
But the truth? This is the time to return to ourself. Read the books we never had time for, try the hobby we have been secretly curious about, walk slower, call a Friend we lost touch with -and- choose softness without apology.
We’ve earned it!
No one else is responsible for making our Life meaningful. Not our job, not the past we can’t change and not the future we can’t predict… It’s us!
We are still capable of shaping what comes next. Aging isn’t closing the door. It’s our chance to finally step into our own Life without rushing, without proving and without pretending.
At 70, I am still here… still able to learn, grow and becoming (me). And this means my story is not over. Not today, not anytime soon. Not even close.
With that, let’s continue stepping forward in the ‘Encore Phase‘ with enthusiasm and eagerness -and- please continue to take care of yourself, make the most of your days -and- always remember;
“Never quit searching, never settle and never give up seeking your greater purpose!“
Terry's Thoughts 
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