It’s hard to believe that another year has passed and I’m deeper into aging and retirement.
Yet it’s also such an overwhelming feeling of grace and gratitude with which I face this day and the inevitable.
Birthday present — Nora Fleming design
Am I better off than I was last year at this time? Absolutely. Let me count some ways.
- My family has celebrated lots of wonderful events this year, including two weddings. We have added lovely new spouses to our family group.
My son and his bride
My niece and her husband
- I have finally shed the sense of frustration that came with my retirement and I’m continuing the process of throwing out old teaching files and donating usable materials without even blinking an eye. I’m moving on to my next stage in life.
Click into photo for source
- I have endured having a total knee replacement and am now well into a new and more active lifestyle. Who would have thought that I would love to exercise?
Click into photo for source
- I have learned so much from others — from my photography teacher and classmates, my blogging friends, and my friends who also have recently retired.
I’ve been learning how to shoot animals with their personality showing
- I continue to enjoy the delight of forging new ways of communicating and understanding with my adult children and my husband. The empty nest is pretty darn fabulous most of the time.
While it’s horrifying to think that I’m now eligible for Social Security benefits, life’s good. I’m lucky to be relatively healthy with loving family and friends. I appreciate all the support shown me this year by a myriad of people — friends, family, church members, medical personnel. To my faithful readers and commenters, I look forward to another year with you as well.
It’s going to be a fabulous journey over the next 365 days!
Happy Birthday! Sounds like you’ve had a good past year! Letting go of some of the past is important- I think it helps one feel some relief off their shoulders! Cheers to many more birthdays!!
Thank you, Liz. I appreciate your blogging friendship!
Happy Birthday! Not only are you blessed with a rich and full life, you have the marvelous talent to express what you live to the world. I hope you have many more birthdays and write about them all!
EJ, you are always so nice in your comments. Thanks for your continued support!
Happiest of Birthdays! Congrats on what sounds like an amazing year! I love the cow photo it just makes me so happy 🙂
Thanks for visiting, Geoff. I think I’m going to post the rest of the animal photos I took last week at our photo shoot. They are funny.
Happy Birthday! It sounds like it’s been a great year for you. Congrats!
Kristi, when I see what you have done over the last year, it makes my progress seem small. Well, except for that tricky knee replacement thing. 🙂
Happy Birthday! Gorgeous photos, evoking such heartfelt emotion, well done on what you have gained and what you are throwing out!! Bonne Continuation. 🙂
Claire, I’ve missed you! Thanks for the good wishes.
Happy birthday.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog the other day and leaving such a nice comment about my staging post. Speaking of which, you do a pretty good job of it yourself! You’ve got some great shots–especially the cow 🙂 I enjoyed reading your “thankful list” too. Always good to focus on what we’ve been given.
Blessings,
Diana
Thanks for visiting, Diana. So many people have liked my cow photo, I’m going to do a series on animals with personality. 🙂
Hi, Jennie! Happy Belated Birthday! I’m late getting around to posts from last week after spending countless hours working on the event at my Mom’s house yesterday. Now that it’s over I can breathe a little for a day or so.
I always say that getting older sure beats the alternative! It’s tough to face everything that comes along with aging, but it’s also a gift. I see that you are recognizing and enjoying many of those gifts, and that’s definitely a good thing! We start to see things a little differently, react to things differently, hold certain things nearer and more dear. I think the “new attitude” we get is God’s consolation prize to us for being plagued with wrinkles and “The Big M” and grey hair! 🙂
I wish you a wonderful year ahead to celebrate life and all its joys. So glad to know you!
Thank you, Alycia. Given that we’ve both been through some hard times in the last years, I’m glad to face a new one and hold my family and friends close.
Happy Birthday!! It looks like you have the perfect attitude about it. We might as well, I guess! 🙂 Here’s to the treasure of your days ahead, my friend…
Thank you, Kim. I’m looking forward to a great year!
Getting older is a gift so many are deprived of. You have the right attitude, and that’s pretty much everything.
Having a full knee replacement is no joke. A friend went through it a few years ago, and may need the other one done soon as well. While it’s hard, we are lucky to live at a time when these operations are not only possible, but can be done with minimal side effects.
We retired in April, and while it’s an adjustment, it’s a welcome one for us. It’s a time to explore interests, both old and new.
Happy belated birthday, and more importantly, many, many more.
The best thing about a knee replacement is coming out on the other side, albeit ten months later after a lot of therapy and some considerable pain and anguish. I’m pretty pumped about my quality of life improving with the new knee. Thanks for visiting, Doreen.