Since I am well into my sixties, growing old gracefully is something I have been thinking about.
We grow older month by month and these add up to years and years. A good bit of time can go by before I feel like 'aging' has ganged up on me and arrived in a BUNCH!
I remember the spring I noticed LINES around my eyes and across my forehead!
1991
I think I was in my 40's and I was surprised because I had used eye creams, moisturizers and night creams along with anti aging masks for as long as I can remember! Silly me, thinking that would prevent aging!! But then, I was YOUNG!
Then in my 50's my body began changing on me - even though my weight and dress size hadn't changed.
I look back to the summer I noticed the formerly toned and firm muscles in my upper arms had decided to lose their grip on my bones and began to softly sag.
I had always been skinny in my youth and all the way through my 30's. Then after thyroid cancer and early menopause, instead of being skin and bones, I had a definite layer of MEAT in between there!
While I could no longer be called SKINNY, neither was I overweight.
I have been exercising regularly since I was in my early 30's and right up to 2012 when the quads were born. I became really busy about that time and found it harder and harder to get in a walk or a yoga or Pilates session on a regular basis.
I have since been exercising at least three times a week and was feeling pretty good about myself....
then THIS week I did these two workouts on two different days.
BOTH posed challenges that didn't exist last year!!
I am trusting that as I continue to exercise, at least some of the flexibility will return!
The youth pastor preached last Sunday and his message was about aging.
He said that there was absolutely NOTHING we can do about getting older. Period.
IF we live long enough, it's gonna happen!!!
So by the GRACE of GOD, I am determined to grow old GRACEFULLY!!
I'm STILL going to exercise and take care of myself.
I have learned that when we are young - we have THIS much physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy as well as that precious commodity known as TIME!!!
As years goes by - we have THIS much. Then THIS much. Before too long I will only have THIS much and finally only THIS much!
It only makes sense to be wise about where and how we spend this energy we call LIFE!
Making time for friends and family - and especially FRIENDS that seem like FAMILY - is important to me. This is my friend, Brenda, whom I have known since before Amber was born.
She and I went to church together for many years and then I worked in the same office as she for two years. We try to have lunch together at least once a month.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - if I don't PLAN it and WRITE it DOWN - it won't happen!!
This afternoon Brenda came and we ate some more of that delicious chicken and dumplings from last night. We also made a date for her and her husband to come to our Valentine Party/Jam Session in February.
After lunch my one big accomplishment was getting the den all clean for the first time post holidays!
I KNOW the Santa Wall is still up but it will be coming down soon!
I dearly LOVE the smell of CLEAN!!!
HOME is important to me and brings me a great deal of joy and happiness as well as deep contentment. I love all things homey.....and warm and cozy......as well as CLEAN!!!
I have a LOT of stuff but it's organized 'stuff'' or debris - as Louis Dean calls it!!
Louis Dean is my highest priority in life as far as human relationships go, so being there for him takes extra precedence.
With that in mind, I tore myself away from all the cleaning and UNdecorating I still have left to do and baked up a dozen potatoes, wrapped them up to keep them hot and filled a bag with sour cream, shredded cheese, salt and pepper and real honest to goodness BUTTER and showed up at the Thursday night jam session - NEARLY on time!
Some tidbits of the evening's music.....
I'll fly away......
Play Me the Waltz of the Angels
Kansas City!
more Kansas City!
Happy Trails!
They always sing this at 8:30 when it's time to pack up and go home!
Now back to my aging topic!!!
The good news is - my shoe size hasn't changed in the last 30 years!!
I already used the Thursday Throw Back Pics in the post so all that's left for me to do is slather on some Coconut Oil, brush my teeth and go to bed!!!
I feel the need for some BEAUTY sleep!!!
I am noticing the changes as the years pass, inside my head I look like the 'me' of my thirties era.
ReplyDeleteYou look so beautiful in all your pictures! It is a natural kind of beauty.Coconut oil, do you mean the white solid kind in the grocery store? I met a beautiful lady with glowing skin who only looked half her age and she told me it was coconut oil...to slather it all over my body!! So I bought a jar but have not used it yet. What do you do, and do you use this kind? I'll fly Away!!! Phil plays this at funerals. It is after Psalm 90. "For they quickly pass by and we fly away..." Your living room is great! And I hope you leave the red plaid tablecloths on, they will be perfect for Valentine's Day.
ReplyDeleteYou are so beautiful both inside and out. I love this post. I'm in my mid-forties now and I'm not liking what I see in the mirror, but, as my husband's grandmother always said, "Growing old is a lot better than the alternative".
ReplyDeleteLinda, you are so photogenic and you always look lovely in every photo I see you in. You are such a lovely person, and this shines through in your smile.
ReplyDeleteA lot of it is attitude, Linda, and yours is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteLinda you are beautiful inside and out! So happy to call you friend...
ReplyDeleteTo me a beautiful person...be they either gender....is not about beauty routines. It's what is inside that counts!! The heart, the soul and the mind. If you're of good heart and loving soul you have the right mindset to be beautiful both inside and outside!!!
ReplyDeleteOh....and in my opinion...the Santa wall can stay!!
I am not much behind you in age and feel the same things you do. Inside I'm 16. Outside not so much. But as Joe says to me I'm growing in grace and in the image of Christ so who can argue with that!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting the jam session. Tell LD I really enjoyed it!
Good morning! Boy do I EVER identify with this post. Turning 60 in September may have been just a number but I feel like my body has been showing this "process" for a while. Like you I was an exercise nut. I LOVED a good work out and walked a good 4 miles everyday all the way through my 40's. By my 50's though my body began to rebel. This was the decade of my total hysterectomy, my gall bladder removal, the diagnose of breast cancer and a double mastectomy, and BOTH of my knees seemed to crumble apart with bad arthritis, my neck followed suit and don't even get me started on my lower back. I have carried soo much weight this last decade as well as a result of my not being able to move around much. Oh, and these upper arms of mine? Well I have had to hide them for a while. And yet!! I am grateful for each and every day that the good Lord grants me, and have just learned to "move along" with the aches and pains of arthritis, and keep myself just as busy as I can. I color and cut my hair regularly, "do" my nails, cream, lotion, oil, everything I can and keep myself in fashion as best as I possible, Yep, growing old gracefully has become a way of life hasn't it? But the most important part of that process as you have pointed out is the renewing of our minds every day in the Word of God and in Christ. Loving others and showing that love any way we can along the way. I love coming here and reading about how you do that with your care of that sweet husband of yours, the darling little quads, and your precious mom. Your attitude shows through in everything you write and it's a total delight. Hope you have a good day and a wonderful week-end!
ReplyDeleteI think you've aged so well! You're doing a great job staying active and taking care of your health. I just turned 50 last year so I am just now entering the decade of body changes I guess. I do miss the body of my 20's and 30's. Staying healthy becomes the most important priority as we age.
ReplyDeleteJust this past year I have REALLY noticed the body shifting and the lines coming. Where oh Where did the "girl" I use to be go? Thankfully we have good genes and that is part of the battle. So with diet and exercise the rest is a piece of cake... oh wait.. NO cake. :-) ok just a small piece and no sugar in my drink. :-)
ReplyDeletei wonder why your shoe sized has not changed. mine sure has,from 7 1/2 to 9 but i go barefooted and the older i got the less time i wore shoes. and not shoes buy sandals, even to work... bet i just answered my own question.
ReplyDeletei have noticed that each 10 years i look different, from 40 to 50 to 60 and now 70.. that is when i notice changes.
I'm with Sandra! My shoe size has changed right along with the rest of me. You sure do make "well into your sixties" look good! I'm early in my sixties and not looking nearly so well.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love the music of this group. You sure can tell they are having fun. LD loves his music, he's a good ol' boy. You sure are a cutie pie and still look darn good to me . Nothing truly stops aging, but just getting up and keep moving, right? In that case your guys are never going to be old. Blessings, xoxo,Susie
ReplyDeleteLinda, this fall I had to go to physical therapy twice a week for a muscle strain in my leg. I'm 51 by the way and exercise all the time. I was shocked at PT to realize that I'm not as flexible or as balanced as I thought. She said the good news is that both of those things can be worked on every day and should because they are the greatest threats to our mobility as we age. I'm going to work on them diligently (soon as I'm over this hysterectomy) because it is so important! Keep up what you are doing. :) You are gorgeous, by the way!
ReplyDeleteBeaty comes from inside. Always. Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteAnd LD definitely is the love of your life - and he knows and shows that. That a match.
Sometimes life simply is perfect - right?!
Another thought - ever not thinkof getting old as an bad thing. The older the more you have shared the more people are out here to respect. The more important you are. The world around actually.
ReplyDeleteLinda, You are beautiful inside and out! You seem like such a happy person, and such a busy person! Friends and family and socialization are so important, and of course, taking care of our health is crucial. Seems like health was natural and didn't require a lot of thought in the younger days; now it does take work! I love reading your blog posts. You inspire me to be a better person and even to age more gracefully! (Soon to be 60!) Hugs and blessings, Beth
ReplyDeleteLinda I am sure your wise words about ageing will hit a nerve with lots of us women. I am 50, and loving every minute of it. I am determined to grow old gracefully, I try to make the most of my appearance, in as much as I love to be clean, have shiny hair, wear soft comfortable but not frumpy clothing, and I wear make up every day, even if I am just at home. I think poise and charm as equally as important as how we look. We can't change how we look, but if we are kind, and smile a lot, and listen carefully to those we meet, we will appear beautiful to others, and feel good inside too. X
ReplyDeleteLove the music jam session. Looks fun too.
ReplyDeleteWell I've never been balanced which is obvious when you think about what a klutz i am but so far I'm still flexible or at least that's what the physical therapist said as she bent my legs this way and that. LOL
Hugs