rainbowkinect

Being a woman of a certain age has many advantages. The freedom to be yourself without the worry or care of those nagging voices of public opinion; kids finally on their own, gainfully employed and able to take care of themselves; no more tuition payments, no more pregnancy scares and the ability to go and do as you please. For those of us who are blessed enough to enjoy the fruits of our labor and retire, life is oh so good.

The baby boomer generation is a unique one. Unlike many of the generations that went before us, with the advent of sneakers (tennis shoes in some parts of the world) and jeans (dungarees for us northerners) in the 1970’s and 1980’s, we’ve continued to embrace the sports of our youth and eagerly learn and master new sports and activities. Pickleball, tennis, canasta, basketball, mah jongg, badminton, soccer, bocce ball, swimming, and Zumba, are just a few of the activities baby boomers gravitate to.

Fifty-five and over master planned communities are multiplying exponentially especially in warm weather states for those boomers seeking an active lifestyle among like-minded people.

Downsizing, although an initial thought, goes by the wayside, as friends, children and grandchildren gravitate to the “camp like” atmosphere some of the communities provide. Gratefully, many of us have enough disposable income to travel, lavish on our grandchildren and in general, enjoy a full life.

Life goes along unfettered until a life’s event comes knocking on the door. I’ve come to realize that no one escapes adversity and the universe has a way of testing our resolve be it through an illness, a job loss, financial issues, adult children coming back to the nest or some other unforeseen difficulties. It is only in the handling of the travails of life do we understand how truly invincible we are.

At times we may feel that it’s all too much, but then we dig a little deeper, pray a little harder, seek additional counsel, and ultimately push through until we are on the other side of the circumstances that at times appeared all-consuming and overwhelming. It’s only in the realization that yes, the sun will shine again and the sky will be blue with no hint of rain that we know we will not only survive but truly thrive.

Waking up each day with a sense of purpose and gratitude strengthens that within us. By actually enumerating and writing down five things to be grateful for each day, gives a voice to just how many blessing we have each and every day. It may be as small as the wonderful aroma of your morning coffee, or the smell of freshly cut grass. My personal favorite is the laughter of children playing outside. I am so grateful when I hear their young voices laughing in delight, it warms my spirit.

Can you commit to starting a gratitude journal? Give it a few weeks and then see what impact, if any, creating a gratitude journal has on your life.  I’d love to hear from you.