Embracing Life After 50~

“O, with what freshness, what solemnity and beauty, is each new day born; as if to say to insensate man, "Behold! thou hast one more chance! Strive for immortal glory!”

― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

 

Everyday is an opportunity for reinvention, learning something new, enhancing our being, spreading our wings and taking flight. Age is not an excuse for merely existing. I encourage you to take a chance, try something you haven’t tried before and perhaps find your muse, a calling, a different purpose, a creative outlet, or the realization that the world is still your oyster and a pearl is within.

I’ll admit I’ve had wonderful opportunities to explore the world but I feel particularly blessed that I’ve found new interests, passions, loves, activities and creative outlets in midlife. I learned from the fine example set by my parents that it is never too late to find another passion.

So what have I embraced in the almost 6 years since I passed my 50^th birthday?

·      I flew in a hot air balloon;

·      Learned photogenic drawings at a workshop in Lacock , England and celebrated the 175^th anniversary of the photographic negative;

·      Embraced gardening;

·      Started a small business;

·      Began writing a Blog;

·      Bought a firearm;

·      Learned how to shoot it;

·      Sewed curtains that I’ve actually hung on windows;

·      Stood on my head during yoga;

·      Took a course in blending wines;

·      Began & completed a boot-camp workout;

·      Created /sewed 2 mid 19^th Century ball-gowns that fit properly;

·      Completely hand sewed a mid 19^th Century sheer day dress;

·      Made a Civil War era buckram bonnet;

·      Learned wet-plate collodion photography at The George Eastman House;

·      Killed a nest of black widow spiders (with help of spousal unit)

·      Began writing a book and contacted a publisher;

·      Wrote book reviews for pre-published galleys for two websites;

·      Learned to bake bread;

·      Embraced the pleasure of working in a home darkroom;

·      Attended Jazzfest in New Orleans twice!

·      Recovered the seats of antique dining room chairs;

·      Divested my wardrobe of all business suits. I’ve reached the age whereby if I ever need to interview for a position again I will not require a suit to express professionalism or gravitas;

·      Took a course to learn dry plate collodion negatives;

·      Drove a vehicle with more than 300,000 miles on the odometer;

·       Learned to say “no” and mean it!

·      Celebrated 10 years of love and mutual respect for a partner without reservation.

What have you done to celebrate the wonders of life after 50? Please share your experience, strength and hope with the rest of us!