Dye Your Hair Blue (or whatever)

I now have a neon blue streak in my hair. Why? Because ever since I retired six years ago, I've wanted to do something a little crazy that I never would have done while I was working in a corporate environment. And why not blue hair? Why the hell not? People will think it's weird? Don't care. I might not like it? It's semi-permanent and will wash out over the coming weeks. It's not a color that occurs in nature? See the flowers behind me in the photo - they're almost a perfect match. I'm too old for such silliness? Hogwash.

How long SHOULD we wait to indulge ourselves and take action on the stuff of our daydreams and urges? I don't want to wait until it's too late. Having a life-threatening illness 12 years ago was a rude kick in the pants - a reminder that our futures are not ensured. Every day, everywhere, tragedy strikes when we least expect it. As far as we know, we only have one life to enjoy, and we should do it up right. Big, Bold, Active, and Out There. That's what I think.

How does this translate beyond my seemingly insignificant hair color? That depends on you, and your deepest desires, regrets, hankerings, and niggling unrequited daydreams. Those shouldn't always end up at the bottom of your priorities, to be done sometime in the future "when I have time", "when I am more fit", or "after". Beware of those words. Sometimes you have to pursue joy.

Other enriching things I have enjoyed since my attitude adjustment:

Bollywood Dance Class

Trip to Italy & Greece

Four years living in the heart of Chicago

Tour of southern England

Singing with Prescott's Sweet Adelines

Becoming a Golfer

None of these were earth-shattering or weird, but I certainly could have come up with good reasons not to do any one of them. (Fear, Expense, Laziness, Embarrassment, etc.) I don't know what's next for me, but I'm thinking...

Listen to that little voice in your head. It usually knows what it's talking about.

Bark Your Joy

When was the last time you laughed out loud? I'm convinced it's crucial to our general health to giggle or guffaw on a regular basis. It lightens the spirit, cleanses the soul, and etches pleasant lines into our faces.

Of course, we can't squeeze out a genuine laugh on demand. And certainly we all have life circumstances that are serious or tragic and totally humorless. But from day to day we should search out ways to find amusement and celebrate it by throwing back our heads and barking our joy. 

When I need a laugh, I search out my friends. Last night at our Bunco gathering, we laughed like crazy women, and I went home happy. My golf buddies tease me and each other mercilessly, and we have a great time - especially when it's all balanced out with heartfelt hugs. One of the reasons that I love my husband is that we share the ability to find humor in many things, and enjoy being silly sometimes. 

Search out your happiness and embrace it noisily when it comes your way.

"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine."

LORD BYRON

"At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities."

JEAN HOUSTON  

"He that is of a merry heart has a continuous feast."

PROVERBS 15:15

"If you become silent after your laughter, one day you will hear God also laughing, you will hear the whole existence laughing - trees and stones and stars with you."

OSHO

Unwelcome Here

If only

it could be

this easy

Protecting

our family

and friends

From heartache

and illness

and losses

All hurting 

that never

quite mends

Boldly it

offers a

warning

That trouble 

here will be

defied  

UNWELCOME

the mat says

quite clearly

Happiness

only

inside

The Power of Friendships

In spite of all the careful planning we did for our after work lives, I never really considered one of the most important requirements for happiness…the potential for new friendships.  Ron and I are each other’s best friends, but there are other people that are important in our lives.  Many of them are far-flung geographically, and we don’t get to see them much.  We interact via telephone and internet, and see them when we can.

There are studies that show that friendships rank right up there with good health and finances as the factors most likely to boost happiness among retirees.  Friends become an extension of the support system that often is anchored by family.

When we bought our home in this community in Prescott, little did we know what a big part of our happiness would be provided by the wonderful friendships we have made.  Our friends “come out to play” with us on the golf course, hiking trail, and during events at Talking Rock Club.  They provide sympathetic ears, laughs, entertainment, and ideas for new activities.  These generous people have opened their homes and invited us in for dinners, parties, informal gatherings, and holidays.  We, in turn, have opened our home to them.  This is all what makes our neighborhood a true community, and what fosters the development of meaningful relationships.

Fortunately, we blindly stumbled into the best living situation we can imagine.  Our friends have introduced unexpected companionship, caring, fun and love into the fabric of our lives in colorful heaps.  They have banned the possibility of boredom and added a new richness.  We gladly share this phase of our lives with them all.

Please don’t overlook the important goal of enhancing your social life in a meaningful way after retirement.  It needs to be a consideration in your planning.  I hope you will be as lucky as we have.

XOXO 

What - Me Worry?

Yep. Life is good; incredibly good for me these days. I am thankful for all the blessings.  But... I have to admit that I still worry.

My chronic worry list:

• I hope our happiness isn’t disrupted by illness or injury.

• The stock market volatility has a direct effect on our retirement finances, and the wild fluctuations are disturbing.

• Our siblings that have personal and financial issues.

• I want my aging mother to enjoy the rest of her years in comfort and surrounded by love.

• If we can’t sell the condo in Chicago next spring, we may have to rent it.

• Keeping my Type 2 Diabetes at bay.

• How I’m going to find health insurance in Arizona.

It’s a pretty short list, but all important stuff.  Some things we can prepare for, but we don't have plans for everything and I haven’t figured out how not to worry.  I hope that meditation and prayer can help me lighten the load.

Fun is Not Overrated

When I was working, I craved time to enjoy more fun. Now that I have more leisure time, I can tell you definitively that fun is not overrated. It replaces frowns with laugh lines, banishes bags from under your eyes, and is conducive to better health and a sound night’s sleep.

Fun makes life feel fuller. It lingers in the mind through pleasant memories. You can replay the best of life via mental snapshots (the way a loved one smiled and laughed with you that beautiful afternoon), or audio you can rewind time after time (of that cool, new rock band jamming at the street fair). Happy memories are stored in your own personal database, where you can take them out and review them whenever you want.

Everyone has their own idea of fun. For me, it could be any one of a number of things, like an afternoon absorbed in a good book, a hot dog and a baseball game, a visit with a dear friend, a gallery opening, or wiggling my toes in warm sand. I think if it generates smiles, warms your heart, or rocks you happily to sleep at night – it’s a keeper.  I'm into pursuing as many of those happy experiences as possible.

Fun also helps put life into perspective. I prefer to have less day-to-day drama now. Life deals us poor humans plenty of real drama, in the form of illness, accident, and misfortune. When people generate their own mini-tragedies, I find it sad. I don’t want to be an enabler of that type of destructive behavior.

Life is complicated and sometimes really serious and difficult. Fun can help make it a lot easier. Make time for it and feed your spirit.