BOOK #59

I'm not gonna lie. I'm turning fifty in about a month. At the beginning of this year, I was freaked out by it. Not the actual age but the damn number. And I can proudly say I've never been afraid to tell my age. But something about the number is hateful. Once people hear it, in their minds, they are saying 'Oh, god, she's old.' When in reality, it couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm at least fifteen years older than all my friends and yet I'm the busiest and most social of all of them. But, in all fairness, I'm not married nor do I have kids - all I have is my freedom. And my aloneness. So perhaps, I'm only busy because I want to be.

Anyway, being naturally curious, I have started to read a lot of books like these. Life affirming stories about the second half (hopefully!) of my life and what I have to look forward to. I have a few relatives who, already at the age of 50, have clearly given up on life. All they have is their family. They don't socialize, they don't exercise (their brains or their bodies), they don't travel - they seemed to have just stopped growing. Up or out. And that's just not me. Nor will it be.

Some of these stories were sad but most were about starting over (a new marriage, a new habitat, a new job) and I'm no stranger to that. I think 'do-overs' are some of life's best surprise treasures. I think I've lost count on how many times I've gotten a do-over. I actually am in the middle of one now. It's a challenge. It's an adventure.

Don't let anyone tell you life stops at 50. If anything, it starts again.