The test of time

You’ve reached middle age
When all you exercise is caution.
~Unknown

This quote caught my eye because I have a birthday coming up. A BIG birthday. Gulp. Strange thing about time. It marches on without regard for our dread of aging.

Honestly, I do believe that age is a state of mind. So that makes me about 24. I would have said 18 but I wanted to get past the acne years.

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
~Chili Davis

I am pretty darn conscious about taking care of myself. I try to eat well. (Uh, hang on a minute, I got ice cream on the keyboard. Ok. All gone.) I exercise regularly. (Hut, one, two.) And in the past couple of years I have added in some yoga stretches. (The corpse pose, the one where you lie on your back…that’s my favorite.)

The great secret that all old people share
is that you really haven't changed
in seventy or eighty years.
Your body changes, but you don't change at all.
And that, of course, causes great confusion.
~Doris Lessing

While I do admit to sometimes fretting about the wear and tear that the years have put on my body, I worry more about the loss of spirit. Of spunk. Of spontaneity. My body may be slowing down, but I want my heart to soar.

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
~Henry David Thoreau

And so I think as a waking reminder, I will have painted on the ceiling above my bed, the word of God. (Well, at least he played God in a movie.)

You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old.
~George Burns

Amen.


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