Channeling Summer

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Endless weekends, soap, and beach lotion… it may be raining outside, but my bathroom countertop is already channeling summer.

Sometimes I imagine what an endless weekend must feel like. I suppose that’s the life retired people are living.... slower mornings, fewer schedules, and the freedom to enjoy the little things without watching the clock or calendar. I'm somehow not convinced that would be my life retired or not. 

I had a wonderful dinner with my stepmom, Teri, at Mariner recently. Over dinner, we found ourselves talking about aging and what the next chapter of life might look like. Teri is turning 65 this fall ....okay, only a few years older than me, but just enough to always feel one step ahead on the journey.

Her mom is still living with her at 93, and my mom is still going strong at 87. If genetics stay on our side, we may both have long roads ahead of us. It’s funny how conversations about aging become less abstract as the years go by. Instead of wondering if we’ll get older, we start wondering how we want to spend those years.

Teri was especially excited because she had visited our local senior center and signed up for a membership card. Strange the things we find exciting these days! But honestly, I understood her enthusiasm. She was amazed at how much was happening there,  classes, gatherings, activities, and social events nearly every day of the week. Even though she’s still working full-time and probably won’t have much opportunity to participate just yet, she liked knowing the card was already in her wallet for the future.

We both laughed at the thought of me in assisted living someday, I’d probably be running activities within a week and organizing themed dinners, game nights, and social gatherings before anyone even unpacked my boxes.

Tim is always dreaming about a winter getaway somewhere warm, maybe someday we will end up in one of those over-55 neighborhoods with a clubhouse, and endless community events...so I can have people to organize! 

But for now, I’ll soak up my limited weekend hours and enjoy the little hints of summer, the beach lotion on the counter, the promise of warmer days ahead, and the anticipation of long afternoons by the water. Maybe that’s part of getting older too: appreciating the seasons while you’re in them and knowing just how sweet the change of season will feel when it  finally arrives. 

“Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.” — Unknown