WONDERS
When people are asked to name the seven wonders of the world, they identify things like the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, etc. Such things are certainly wonders of course, but we often forget the wonders all around us.
The seven wonders in our lives are: to see, to hear, to touch, to taste, to feel, to laugh and to love.
So true, so simple, so important.
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H – “Hello?”
W – “Honey, it’s me. Are you at the club?”
H – “Yes.”
W – “Great! I am at the mall two blocks from where you are. I just saw a beautiful coat. It’s absolutely gorgeous!! Can I buy it?”
H – “What’s the price?”
W – “Only $600.00.”
H – “Well, OK, go ahead and get it, if you like it that much…”
W – “Ah, and I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new models. I saw one I really liked. I spoke with the salesman, and he gave me a really good price…and since we need to exchange the BMW that we bought last year…”
H-“What price did he quote you?”
W – “Only $60,000…”
H – “OK, but for that price I want it with all the options.”
W – “Great! But before we hang up, something else…”
H – “What?”
W – “It might look like a lot, but I was reconciling your bank account and…I stopped by the real estate agent this morning and saw the house we had looked at last year. It’s on sale!! Remember? The one with a pool, English Garden, acre of park area, beachfront property.”
H – “How much are they asking?”
W – “Only $450,000 – a magnificent price…and I see that we have that much in the bank to cover…”
H – “Well, then go ahead and buy it, but just bid $420,000. OK?”
W – “OK, sweetie…Thanks! I’ll see you later!! I love you!!!”
H – “Bye…I love u too…”
The man hangs up and raises his hand while holding the phone and asks all those present: “Does anyone know who this phone belongs to?”
AGE
My body knows exactly how old I am, but my mind simply refuses to believe it. That’s something I face every year when my birthday rolls around. I find it impossible to accept that new number. I think: That can’t be right?
For some reason I always figured I would die young, of course now it’s too late. Much too late ! The solution might well be to forget birthdays in the future like a niece told me she intends to do. She corrected me when I mentioned that her birthday was coming up by saying that maybe she had a birthday coming up but probably not!
When we were kids we were so proud to point out that we were: five and a half, or six and three quarters. Then we were so excited to finally reach twenty-one, weren’t we? Ever since then the years have been flying by, ever more quickly. And when we see a new age decade approaching we want to scream: Wow! Stop! We hope we could stop the passage of time, but no one is listening.
All this, of course, is based on the fact that age numbers are such a big deal in our society as it has always been. “She’s 50? Can’t be!” or “He’s turning 60? Are you sure?
Age presses on no matter how much we want to turn it off. Some members of my family are enjoying life in their 90s, something to crow about. Of course they feel that those in their 60s and 70s are spring chickens. So nice to hear!!
Did You Know??
While I used to know everything when I was younger, now I realize that I know very little. Case in point: I did not know that when I entered a competition with one other person I would come in third! I also did not know that meditating meant seating comfortably with my eyes closed so I could worry about what’s wrong with my life! And when I went into a store to get a moisturizer for aging skin I did not know that it now costs as much per ounce as enriched uranium! And, I did not know that a will is a dead giveaway!
What about you?
= Do you know which word should logically follow: spots, tops, pots, opts.
= Did you know that a man with a beard can shave several times a day?
= Do you know why the man died of old age on his 25th birthday?
= Did you know that I’ll always smile back if you give me a smile.
= Do you know what’s in the middle of Toronto?
= Did you know that something runs all around, yet never moves?
= Do you know what four-letter word can be written forward, backward or upside down, and still be read from left to right?
Mixed answers: Sure, if he’s a barber - He was born on February 29th – Noon - The letter o – The word stop – I’m a mirror – A fence.
HOPE
Spring has sprung as the saying goes. The weather in my world has been great in the last few days which made my daily walk along the lake where I live so very pleasant after the cold winter.
A couple of days ago as I was approaching the walking path, a teacher and a dozen or so young teenage students appeared suddenly. All wearing masks, they sat on the ground under a cluster of large pine trees and the teacher began a lesson. I’m sure the students must have been glad to be outside near a lake instead of inside. The teacher is obviously someone who looks for ways to improve the less-than-perfect situation in which we all find ourselves because of covid.
As we still struggle to get pass this deadly disease and look forward to everyone being vaccinated, we know we must continue to be vigilant and listen to the rules, but it doesn’t mean that all is lost. While waiting for a return to normalcy there is still music to be listened to, reading to be enjoyed in sunny backyards or balconies, and love to be shared with our family members on the phone or via video. And there are countless ways to learn new things if we let our imagination soar and discover our hidden talents.
Despite the restrictions in our lives, one thing that is a constant is Hope with a capital H. It will see us through the remaining dark days, and we must ensure that everyone knows that all is not lost. We only need to find ways to adapt and find ways to turn a less-than-perfect situation into something that will make us discover ourselves.
Never Too Late
A woman I’ve known for a number of years is retiring later this year. She is not yet 60 years old, but the prospect of retirement is not something she views with apprehension. Rather, she is quite excited about the whole thing.
She was a stay-at-home mom for a while after her marriage, and raised three children. When the youngest one was in second grade, she decided to rejoin the workforce, and found a job with a large law firm. She enjoyed her work and was fascinated by the process of law. She’s the only person I know who reads law cases for entertainment! Eventually, she took some introductory law courses in the evening and did quite well.
One day, she confided in me that her aim was to get a law degree and become a legal aid lawyer. She wanted to help those who need it most. However, her plans had to be put on hold when she was injured in an accident. As she underwent therapy to regain the use of her legs the study of law fell by the wayside. But she was very proud when she was again able to walk unaided
She wanted to continue her studies, but found it difficult to do it in the evening, so she set out to define her long-term plan. She decided to retire early and go to university full-time which will give her many years to practice law. She will begin full-time studies in the fall. With the credits and the experience she already has, she expects to graduate in just a couple years.
Some people say that she’s crazy. That she should retire to enjoy life. She intends to do just that. As she told me, her law degree will make her life most enjoyable. Her husband supports her; he himself plans to write a book when he retires in a few years. I admire them both. They make the most of life. They truly believe that it’s never too late to learn or try something new. The bottom line is that retirement is really a time to do the things we are passionate about.
