Embrase life as we age.

Papa big as life

Walking tip of the day: Comes from Carolyn Scott Kortge, Spirited Walking "find a walking partner who will keep quiet for 10 minutes." Great for aerobic walking and experiencing the outdoors and walk. Both of you will enjoy it.
Getting older isn't easy. We are not prepared for it and it happens any way despite our best efforts. As we age we may even take on childlike qualities and dependence. We took care  of our children and towards the end of life they take care of us. We of course will return to our terrible twos and put our feet down for our last stab to stay in dependant. Erma Bombeck wrote of this as she got older.
I believe in rounding out the curve we should be able to care for ourselves as long as we can. Exercise and diet are our allies to maintain the dignity of ourselves. I also think reading and useful hobbies with help our brains continue to renew it self and keep life interesting. One reason I tackled depression was to resist the impulse to retreat but keep focusing outward, enjoying the simple things in life. Looking at the years in my sixties as years to have opportunity and experience the joys of living. If I approach my 70's to eights I hope to make similar goals. We can't take it for granted so it is good to live one day at a time. My motto is walk today a good chance I will be walking tomorrow. I am really into taking care of today, making good choices and enjoying now.

Bully on life

One of the first writers I enjoyed was Papa Hemingway. I read Old Man in the Sea because it was a short book. What I got was a great read. I was no longer interested in the grade but my time spent reading that book, flew by. I lived in Africa so I read his books on Africa. Going back in time was wonderful. Papa was a man who lived life hard. When he got older he couldn't handle the changes so he committed suicide.
Teddy Roosevelt was bully on life. He tackled life head on. At 55 he goes to Panama and breaks down physically. It seems he went into a depression and declines at age 60 dies. Health and weight are strong factors.
Charles Darwin loved nature and science but toward the end of his life he lost his love of nature and his love of art. You know as we age our eyesight struggles, we loose some of our ability to taste, as our senses decline art and creation would be harder to experience. Thank God for eyecare and flavorble spices.
These three dynamic men as they aged lost their love for life. Probably suffering depression and were not ready for the affects of aging. Who is?
People battle life threatening diseases, lost of love ones, physical and mental decline and these stresses push us to the max.

Loss love of nature

Having a hope beyond the grave and that life continues I think can make all the difference in the world. In this brief life we have is just a intro into our next life. Charles, Teddy, Papa put their marbles into one bag of our lives down here. As they aged they had nothing to look forward to. Freud thought such hope in the afterlife was a crutch. I couldn't disagree with him more. Life is fragile at best. We were designed to have a relationship with our Creator. What do we live to? If we live in our 100's we still live a brief life. Dependance on God is critical.  Clearly each of them could have done things better to round off the curve and extend the quality of their life longer. Treatment for depression and anxiety is so much better today than in their time. Look around you and you can see robust people give up.
Consider getting ready for your senior years. Get informed. Look for support where you need it. Choose to live your retirement years a day and a time. Keep walking.