Caring Is Not Enough

Riding The Carousel

It seems as though aging is like riding a merry-go-round. Sometimes we are feeling like life is simply going round and round in circles. At other times we feel like we have the most powerful horse in the world and can accomplish anything we want to. There are even times when we can reach up and grab the gold ring, after many passes at the brass one.

Aging and getting through the various stages of life is not, in my opinion, like the advertisers want us to believe. No more am I running through fields of daisies. No more am I dashing into the surf at a beautiful beach. No more am I eating everything and anything I want.

I am now much more conscious of the variety of flowers in my garden and the beautiful bees and birds that visit them. I am much more aware of how hard I worked raising two children and working in the ER for many hours every week and how hard my son's and their wives are working raising their young families.  I am much more aware of how I must conserve my strength the day after a young grandchild returns home after spending the day and night with us.

And yet, I try my best to ride the carousel daily. By swimming a lot, eating well, reading more than ever, visiting the local parks and seeing friends, I have found that even though the gold ring does come up occasionally, I am content with the brass one on a daily basis.

How about you? Are you riding your carousel in a good way?