I once had a friend who was several years older than me… I was in my early forties… when I or anyone asked her how old she was she replied… old enough to know better and young enough to do it anyway.
I loved her answer… even though I really did wonder how many times she had circled this earth… it seemed like she might be having more fun that I was at the time… so I let it go.
The importance of what she said… was… young enough to do it anyway.
Today… as I’m in the second half of my sixties… I’m asking myself the question… am I young enough to do it anyway?
Am I young enough to hop on a soapbox and get Bertha going again… Bertha is always young enough and stomping her stilettos for me to catch up… but… I’ve been reluctant. And the answer is… oh yes… I am plenty young to do that… and I don’t have to worry about my nine-to-five anymore… so I have the time. Why not?
I’m also asking… am I young enough to find romance? And… I’m reminded of a high school friend whose grandfather remarried well into his eighties… so I’m certainly younger than that. And honestly… I know that it hasn’t been age holding me back… but ghosts of past loves… that really weren’t loves at all… and that will be the topic for another blog post. Well… the questions should probably be… am I young enough to trust again? Am I young enough to risk my heart again? And… the answer is… oh yes… most certainly I am. Why not?
Am I young enough to do yoga? Actually… I started really practicing yoga on my 63rd birthday… and I can still get up and down from the mat… so the answer is… oh yes. Why not?
Am I young enough to drive a sports car? Oh yes… if that’s what I want and I can afford it… of course I am… but I do love my SUV so I probably won’t take advantage of the ability. Hmmm… but I could rent one for a trip. Why not? And… now I’m wondering where I can go so I can sport it up! Why not?
Am I young enough to take up a new hobby? Well… Grandma Moses was seventy-seven when she took up painting. So… why not?
Am I young enough to live fully as myself? Of course… Bertha… jumps on that one… reminding me that if I ever think I’m too old to be fully me… then my life as I enjoy it is over. She also reminds me that being who I truly am… doesn’t mean who I’ve been in the past… it could… but I may have changed my mind along the way about who I want to be. So… in answer to the question… why not?
So… how about you? Is there a part of you that you are wondering if you are young enough to embrace? Leave a comment or send me a private message. We’ll talk.
Jane
I just visited a Grandma Moses exhibit in Vermont yesterday. In the room with her marvelous paintings was an interview she did with Edward R. Murrow when she was 95 years old, running on a repeating loop on a TV in the room. It was fantastic! She had such a sharp mind and she ended up turning the tables and interviewing Edward R. Murrow about his thoughts on dying (he had asked her if she was afraid of dying). Age hadn’t slowed her down any. Sometimes I have to talk myself into not feeling “old” (what the stereotype is of old, anyway). Now, I’ll just think of Grandma Moses!
Thank you for your comment, Alana. I know what you mean by that stereotype. Sometimes I catch myself saying, “I’m so old.” and not really meaning it… but energetically that’s what I creating. So lets enjoy these ‘young’ years we’re in.
I’m ready for just about everything except skydiving or jumping off cliffs. But, I’m not in a hurry to look for love not so much because of ghosts but because I’m loving my freedom.
I think your list is reasonable… of course I don’t know that I was ever young enough to consider those jumps. And… yes… freedom is a marvelous thing.
Hi Jane! I think you the only thing stopping us -is us. Your list sounds wonderful and I don’t believe you are ever too old to fall in love! Thank you for this inspirational post! And congrats on a yoga practice!
Thank you for your comment Jennifer. I agree with you completely and love my yoga practice!
I don’t think there’s ever a moment when we need to stop ourselves from doing something, if we have the desire. I’m ready to try a wide range of things, to get out and go and not be limited by someone else’s expectations, or my own fears!
I think I like Bertha!
Walker… I love the beauty and energy of your response. I’m glad Bertha resonated with you… she and I enjoy sharing.