When I wrote this piece, I was thinking about me. About who I am and what I do and how I do it differently now than I did things before.
As I posted this to lists last night I realized that some might take this piece as disparaging of the younger folk on the list. I remember that I dealt with death and drama even then.
What’s different now is the eye I bring to it and the lack of drama that now accompanies even the most shocking things. I know a lot more about life’s continuum these days. I don’t always like it any better, oh, my sweet sister, my sweet friends… oh, the need for Peace. I’m a much more ardent fighter these days, but a somewhat more savvy one, and I take a lot more time to laugh along the way.
Sometimes I find it shocking that folk ask me questions about their lives. Me? They’re asking me? And then I realize… right, I’ve made a lot of revolutions around this sun. And I’ve packed a lot of stuff in my life. After all, I had those crazy 20s and 30s (for which Dear Lord, I am truly thankful.).
What caught me later about this list, even as I was laughing at it (and at some of the choices, many of which I had never heard before), was that I now work like a 62 year old. The number of revolutions matter if you’ve made good use of them.
Peace, sweet Peace, it likes a steady hand as well as the young undiffused passion. Grief winters quietly in my soul this day, it still storms, but with no sense of the injustice I earlier felt.
And local? When I was in my 20s, I wanted local to be the whole world. It was. I traveled, traveled, traveled. I stuffed everything I could into my mind, heart. (Both the soul and body had exciting times as well! hey I was 20!) I haven’t relinquished my love of travel, but I have discovered my love of local. These hills, this river, these neighbors, these seasons. And when I go away I often go to places where I know those landscapes and friends well enough for them to be these friends, these hills. And that’s precious… And in today’s world the these and the those don’t have to be all that distant from one another…
So, I think I’ll take my age, thank you… strange realities and all. I’ll wish you deep enjoyment of where you are. And go back to dealing with life and searching for Peace and making space for Peace in ways that owe a lot to paying attention to the things that remain constant and the things that change as the season and cycles continue.
And maybe I’ll give up listicles — although I’ll probably always giggle like a girl! Old Warrior Women fight smarter… and partner with young energy!
