Never realized I liked Hip Pop so much until the other day when I was getting up off the couch. And there it was again. That all too familiar, recently frequent sound of my hip popping whenever I change position. All I need is a hat on sideways, saggy pants and a microphone for a screaming sweaty mass of frantic fans right? Between my knees creaking and hip popping I can actually make music just walking to the refrigerator. It has become almost rhythmic and harmonious with other indications of my seniority in life. The recognition of the age factor I must say has gradually changed for me over the years. Initially I wanted to be older, always just a little in order to get in with some group or another, or even to be able to go somewhere alone. And as time went by it seems that my age preference slowly shifted to wanting to be younger. When I re-entered college at 35 and was suddenly the geriatric in the room, I was often older than a lot of the teachers. And around this time I was referred to as “Sir” by a checkout girl at a grocery store. I had finally become OLD in the eyes of groups of people whom I still found desirable to be part of.  And in reality I see now as I creak and pop around the house that I have always been aware that getting old was not going to be a pleasant experience. When I first entered the work force in factories and mills around the country I saw and heard the veteran employees warning me of the trials facing us all. They got up slowly, they ate smaller portions, and they all warned “You’ll see.” And they were right.

Approaching 60 this year is going to be a great milestone. I look forward to this age as a hurdle I never thought I would cross. Assuming, of course, I make it until mid-May. So what will I do now with my arrival to the decade of retirement? For one thing I hope to no longer be such a Pro-Crastinator! I have mastered the gift of laziness with skill and precision. I sleep in, watch movies, play X-box, and lay awake reading at night as if I have already retired. I have enlisted myself in a sort of last stand boot camp in as far as I have finally again started to record music I had written as long as 40 years ago. I have initiated enrollment back into college to start working on continuing my nursing education and I have taken on a new and challenging job. “Use it or lose it” I have heard some say. I do not want to have made it this far and just stop and resign myself to inevitable stagnation. I feel that I would rather start over. Working as hard as possible to achieve new goals and reach new objectives while strengthening my spirit to live life to the fullest.

Caring Choices enlists all efforts to support the conversations on choices and decisions to keep trying no matter what age or what obstacles one may face. There is always going to be the hope that we can make things better for ourselves or others. No matter what changes life has in store as time goes by, it is never too late. We are never too old to try something new and different. The rhythm of life keeps on going even if we can no longer dance.

(c) 2014 Caring Choices