There are only 50 days left in summer. I am not sure where this season went, but I am doing OK.
I used to be 5'4 1/2" tall. When asked now (especially by my doctor), I say "about 5'4". If somebody measured me today, I am probably closer to 5'2". My grandchildren used to be little, now we are eye to eye and they keep growing. So is the circle of life. I disappear a little at a time and the younger ones sprout as fast as a daisy and take over the garden. Nature has its way in all things and no matter what man does through medical technology, the sands of time move on and everything changes. However, the fountain of youth stays always in our hearts.
So, what to do, what to do. I look for sneakers and shoes with a little lift. I stretch my head to look forward and try not to look back. I stand as tall as possible with pride for what I have accomplished. I play happy music and sing along as loud as I can and sometimes hit those high notes. I dance when no one is looking and also when they are. My clothes are colorful, and I don't care if the shades are too bright for my age. I want to be noticed.
My surroundings have so much to do with my mood so I spend much too much money on plants. I am a giant amongst my flowers. I do not listen to the news so my head will not tilt low, and I make sure there are always cookies in the cupboard to turn my lips up into a smile. I can't change what Mother Nature and the world are doing, but I have to get through my day as best I can, so I never say no to sweet things and plant as many blooms as I can. This year especially.
I used to be 5'4 1/2" tall. When asked now (especially by my doctor), I say "about 5'4". If somebody measured me today, I am probably closer to 5'2". My grandchildren used to be little, now we are eye to eye and they keep growing. So is the circle of life. I disappear a little at a time and the younger ones sprout as fast as a daisy and take over the garden. Nature has its way in all things and no matter what man does through medical technology, the sands of time move on and everything changes. However, the fountain of youth stays always in our hearts.
So, what to do, what to do. I look for sneakers and shoes with a little lift. I stretch my head to look forward and try not to look back. I stand as tall as possible with pride for what I have accomplished. I play happy music and sing along as loud as I can and sometimes hit those high notes. I dance when no one is looking and also when they are. My clothes are colorful, and I don't care if the shades are too bright for my age. I want to be noticed.
My surroundings have so much to do with my mood so I spend much too much money on plants. I am a giant amongst my flowers. I do not listen to the news so my head will not tilt low, and I make sure there are always cookies in the cupboard to turn my lips up into a smile. I can't change what Mother Nature and the world are doing, but I have to get through my day as best I can, so I never say no to sweet things and plant as many blooms as I can. This year especially.
I love your philosophy, we have similar outlooks. Can a person spend too much money on plants? Ha ha, I think not. It is cheaper than therapy, right?
ReplyDeleteHi Terra. Non-gardeners will never understand our obsession. A blooming flower a day keeps the doctor away.
DeleteLove that sand sculpture.
ReplyDeleteYay for gardens. And gardeners. And colour.
I loathe shopping - except for book shops and nurseries.
I am not much of a shopper either, EC, except for plants. Any new flower I find puts a smile on my face and a dent in my wallet.
ReplyDeleteSand sculptures, done by kids, have come a long way since I made castles with my pails.
I really have not come to terms with the shrinking thing, but now see the correlation between diminution and gardens.
ReplyDeletei have been known for getting lost in the weeds in our woods. In a few years, if I continue to shrink, nobody will find me.
ReplyDeleteYour outlook on life and gardening is delightful. I am also quite fond of cookies --even more fond of stealing chocolate chips from the fridge. These are joys cultivated in childhood and left intact and uncorrected through life if we know what's good for us. Enjoyable post, Arleen!
ReplyDeleteI love those chocolate chips, Geo. I make a batch of cookies every week and nine out of ten times, chips are involved. Not all of them get in the batter.
DeleteWhat a wonderful post - I just love flowers as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan.
DeleteMy oldest son now towers above me, so maybe I'm shrinking too. I feel much as you do about flowers, about fruit and vegetables. I look at them with wonder, and of course I enjoy eating them too.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what we grow, Cro, a gardener finds joy in all we plant. There are always disappointments but we learn from each of them.
DeleteThis is absolutely wonderful! It's so easy to give up, do less, not make an effort. It gets harder to talk myself into going out and doing things every year. I'm becoming more of a hermit and wish I had your spunk!
ReplyDeleteThis has been a year of difficulties and challenges for me, Lexa, and as I said, I have to find ways to get through my days.
DeleteHi Arleen. I think I learned more about you from this post than all the others put together! Mrs Bazza and I are both about an inch shorter than, say, ten years ago.
ReplyDeleteThink of it as growing closer to your garden.
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s fabulous Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
My mom was 5'7" but when she passed away at age 85, she was only about 5'1". Arthritis and disc disease brought her down. However, even with all her pain, she lived life with hope and laughter. She is always my hero.
DeleteThank you for your nice comment, Bazza.
What a beautiful post, Arleen! So inspiring. With your life thoughts and attitude, anyone can see you stand 10 feet tall!! Age is a state of mind...we should never mind! Live, Love and Dance...in full living color! You go, girl!!
ReplyDeleteThat was such a sweet comment, Linda. I thank you for starting out my day with your kind words.
DeleteThanks for an awesome post. It's incredible how we shrink when we get older. I used to be 5'4" as well. Went to the the doctor yesterday, and I am 5'1". Even had the nurse re-measure me. Age is definitely a state of mind. At 69 I went back to college. One of my favorite things is enjoying a quick lunch in the school cafeteria. Never wore sneakers until I retired. I love dressing in a pair of shorts or a little pull on dress and heading over to Coney Island or the park overlooking the water. Aging is what we make of it. Life is good, and I am enjoying every moment of my retirement.
ReplyDeleteThe good thing about shrinking is we don't have to bend as far when picking up something from the floor.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly know how to keep growing as you age. Going back to school is quite an undertaking, but we are never too old to learn. I admire your spunk and attitude. You rock, girl.
Oh gee, I started out 5'2" tall, and I absolutely refuse to measure myself. I mean, how low can I go? Lovely post. I like that you wear bright colors. I am quite sure you are noticed wherever you go.
ReplyDeleteI have not been measured in years because I don't want to know. This spring I bought a new pair of slacks. short size, and they were too long. That was a wake up call. My capris pants work fine except they don't look like capris as they are near my ankle.
DeleteHa! What next?
DeleteI have a height challenged friend-I always have to reach for things when we are out together. She has me trained so I do it automatically. We took annual pictures of the kids with the grandparents and watched the size thing shifting-now I do it with my, not so little anymore, guy. Flowers are a lifesaver!!!
ReplyDeleteI have tall cabinets. Without my foot stool, I wouldn't be able to get half my items. Those that are on the top shelves have been there for years.
DeleteYes, it is better to live among the roses.
Lovely flowers! I look out to my garden a lot, it always helps me when I need to smile.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, Liza. One of the first things I do in the morning is to look out my window to see my gardens.
DeleteSuch pretty flowers!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice about the unemployment office. I've used them in the past so I know what kinds of services they offer. Unfortunately, mine doesn't offer any kinds of classes or anything. I've been able to find that kind of information elsewhere though through a little bit of research.
I wish you luck, Sprinkles, on your job search. It is a shame that your unemployment office doesn't have any resources for people seeking a job.
DeleteArleen, Well the good news is that you don't have to have your pants shortened. I'm glad that you've accepted shrinkage, and I'm impressed that you maintain such a lovely garden. Do you do stretching exercises? That's probably one of the best things you can do for your posture. Of course rewarding yourself with cookies afterward always helps!
ReplyDeleteJulie
I used some iron on tape to shorten my pants, Julie. It is a good temporary fix as I continue to vertically melt away.
DeleteYes, I've also lost a few inches (in height!) over the years - I think they've been added to my waist instead. The garden doesn't care what size I am, although I sometimes have to get out the steps!
ReplyDeleteYes, Rosemary, sadly that seems to happen to us all. We never actually lose anything, it just moves south.
DeleteWhat a delightful post and attitude. The way I see it, there can never be too much color or too many flowers in our lives, and we always need to keep our eyes open to see what joy is coming our way next.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Deborah. The only control we have in life is over our own attitude. There are times that it takes a lot to keep our heads up because life can be very hard at times. However, the only way to get through them is to have hope, forgiveness, kindness and joy in our hearts.
DeleteI must be doing something wrong. My last visit to the doctor, I measured 1/2" TALLER than I've ever been before! (HUH???) (Maybe I was uplifted by a particularly good mood that day...)
ReplyDeleteI love your attitude. Everything you've said makes absolute sense to me. But not everyone feels the same about flowers. A gal from our neighborhood, an older Vietnamese woman, stopped to talk to me one day when I was planting some brightly colored Gerber daisies. She simply could NOT understand why anyone would waste time and money planting something they couldn't eat. Then again, I suppose her past history was more about survival than it was about beauty. Such a shame.
Trust me, people will always notice you, no matter how many inches you lose, or what color you wear. With your overall attitude and outlook on life, you'll stand out in any crowd.
We all find joy in different things. I have a granddaughter who says that she hates gardens. Of course, we blame that peculiarity on the other side of her family. However, she paints beautifully, and I have asked her to paint a picture of trees for me. I am hoping that at least a dandelion might appear in it even if it is drip of paint.
DeleteA very uplifting post, Arleen...you don't need built-up shoes...you've reached the heights! :)
ReplyDeleteNo colour is too bright! The brighter the better...if they make you feel good...make you feel happy...go for it! Be as bright as the beautiful flowers in your garden. You'll be the most beautiful blossom of all! :)
Thank you for saying such sweet things, Lee. I might have grown a little taller reading this.
DeleteJust wow. Please come over here and teach me your philosophy. You shall be my inspiration. I am a little more cheerful than I’ve been for a long time but to get to your admirable state of mind is still a ways ahead for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder.
I just try to get through each day as best I can. It isn't always easy so I put up blinders when necessary.
DeleteYou and I would be such great friends. I'm shrinking too. I spend too much on plants, and I love my cookies and sweets.
ReplyDeleteSweets, in one way or another, are the secret to a happy life, maybe.
DeleteI'm shrinking too, but I started out at 6 ft., so I'm lucky there. And you are lucky you can eat sweets whenever you feel like it, that I can't do. Nor do I have any grandchildren, but I do have my two furry loves. You are so right, while life takes things away, it also leaves us blessings.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am fortunate in so many ways but I know that we all have our crosses to bare and we all have to make the best of things that come our way. You, Inger, are an inspiration to me and many others.
DeleteWe could all do with your philosophy, Arleen! Never pass on a beautiful flower or a cookie! <3
ReplyDeleteI probably should pass on some of the cookies, Laura, but my ability to resist is low.
DeleteYour post is so optimistic and full of summer cheer. I also love colorful flowers, even though we only have them in pots. Luckily it rained while we were away and they survived the heat. I also try to be optimistic, because the alternative does not bring much happiness. I hope the rest of summer keeps you in great spirits.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the flowers, I find it so much easier to stay positive during the summer months.
DeleteI used to be not quite 5' 3", but my last medical visit in May put me a good inch and a half below that. I take yoga and stretch and I do strength training, but I still miss that inch and a half.
ReplyDeleteYes, Carol, shrinkage is quite prevalent today with all us boomers slowly getting closer to the ground.
DeleteHi Arleen,
ReplyDeleteNothing quite like being amongst the colourful flowers. I find that, along with cookies, to be a most positive tonic.
You are above the flowers and there you go.
Very nice and thoughtful post.
Gary
Cookies and colorful flowers can help make the blues go away.
DeleteThank you so much, Gary, for you very kind comment.
Amen to all that, except the Cookies, don't wanna end up in a Diabetic coma so I resist the Cookies, but I'm completely down for all the rest and am in complete Agreement! Growing older may be mandatory but growing up is completely optional. Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
ReplyDeleteYou have the right attitude, Dawn.
DeleteI love your attitude! I need to turn off the news too!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sherry.
DeleteI can relate, on so many levels (pun intended). From one former 5'4 person (almost) to another, love your attitude and outlook!
ReplyDeleteBeing closer to the ground has its advantages.
Delete