Birthday hopes! As I celebrate the day I was born, 4 November, 1937, I also recognise with a sense of awe that I’m officially an old, old woman. But it doesn’t mean that I no longer have plans, hopes and aspirations for the future.
Everyone needs an idea about what the next part of their life will be like. Hopes and plans for the future, as Walt Racowich says in this article, impact on our attitude today.
The last year has flown, perhaps because of the novelty of the sidetracks I’ve taken in twelve months. I’ve been places I didn’t choose. Done things I never imagined. Lived through them and come out the other side. Maybe a bit wiser, maybe more humble. Certainly more peaceful.
As my older friends often tell each other, ‘We can still do all the things we used to do. We just do them slower!’
Last year
This time last year I moaned about how quickly my birthday had come around. Then, I railed about the indignity of being 86. After giving myself a talking to, I managed to salvage some good humour and decided to just get on with things.
There’s magic in the phrase, ‘Getting on with things.’
I’m grateful to the friend who prompted me to think about it after two of his siblings died within a month of each other. He made it sound easy.
I’m also grateful to the granddaughter who sent me a copy of Jane Hirshfield’s poem, De Capo. It’s another way of saying, ‘Get on with your life, do the simple things.’
For forty years I’ve used wonderful, magical words that I meant to practise for the year. But my catchcall for the next year will be, ‘Get on with things’.
Birthday hopes, 2023
On my birthday last year, I wrote a list of things I wanted to do in a blog called ‘Nothing dreadful about being 86‘. My list didn’t feel too ambitious or outrageous.
Simple things, like going on a holiday, swimming, reading and reviewing books, writing blog posts all seemed possible even if I did attach numbers to many of them. Some I managed. Others, not so well.
Birthday plans 2024
My hopes and plans for the next year are simple. I’ve given up on pushing myself and putting numbers to my plans as I have other years. This year is about being, rather than doing.
Here’s my list.
- To be gentle with myself and others
- To spend time with those I love, smile more, and laugh often
- To practise gratitude every day and to cultivate awe
- To enjoy the next event that presents itself
- To do regularly the things I enjoy. To swim, walk, read, write, take photos, make things (craft)
- To enjoy my home and the things in it
- To explore new opportunities.
Thank you
Thank you for reading my posts and for commenting. I’m grateful for your kindness and support over the years.
Happy birthday beautiful friend. How I look forward each week to waking up, doing what is necessary, having my morning glass of lemon juice, going back to bed with my iPad, and smiling when I see How to be Eighty 2 – my day blooms!! Again – my thoughts, my wishes, my love dearest friend on this your birthday. Thank you for all you give. You are a magnificent inspiration. Xx
Dear Elizabeth, thank you for your birthday wishes, expressed in so many different ways today. I’m glad my blog brings you a touch of happiness each week and that our very long, continuing friend enriches both of us. Mx
Happy Birthday, dear Maureen!
I’m so glad our paths crossed a few years ago. It all seems like a blur now, as we’ve connected over so many things.
I love and value our conversations and am deeply grateful for your love and wisdom you so gracefully share.
All the very best for an amazing day with family and for a wonderful year ahead. 💖💝
Dear Susan, thank you for your kind comments and birthday wishes. I’m glad we met too, at a Blogging Mastermind Course way before COVID shutdowns. Our sharing, wise conversations are reciprocal and I’m grateful that I have you in my life. Mx
Celebrate your special day with your favourite people. So lovely to read this to feel your determination .I haven’t forgotten you but husband has had a brief hospital stay. All good now home but not driving for 2 wks. I will text re music 🥰
Dear Maureen.Thank you for your birthday wishes. I hope your husband has a speedy and complete recovery. I’m driving again now, and will collect the music. Xx
Happy birthday Helen. I like your list for your coming year. You are going to cultivate awe, a worthy aim. I do feel awe at many things but I like to be aware of “glitters” small things that I stop and enjoy. They can be a jacaranda in flower, the glint of the light on a stone, the bird song I hear. Small things that bring me joy. I hope your day has been wonderful and here is my birthday wish for you.
May you be granted health and wealth and wisdom, and may you see your beauty reflected in those around you.
Jan
Hi, Jan. Thank you for your birthay greeting and yur comment. I think I’m planning to recognise and make a note of things large and small that inspire awe in me, if that is what cultivating it means. You sound as if you are already very conscious of awe. I’m not yet very good at naming the emotion or savouring it.
Hi Maureen
Great to read your thoughtful blog and your wise words. I like the concept of ‘getting on with things’ another pearl of wisdom you have passed on, thank you 🙂
Maureen, I trust that you have already received my Birthday wishes via Facebook, but regardless of having sent some of my best wishes already, in reality, you deserve loads more – so – a HUGE Happy Birthday Maureen! I hope the next year is all you plan and imagine it to be and that it is truly a fun, healthy, jolly year.
X T
Hi, Tricia. Thank you again for your comment and lovely birthday wishes. Dinner with some of my family was lovely and I had an amazing day.
Getting on with things is such a simple idea and so powerful when life throws curved balls. Most of the stuff we do is pretty ordinary, even at the worst times. If we just get on with the resst of our lives the drama takes up less energy.
Belated Happy Birthday Maureen!
I’m sorry I missed reading this post last week.
I hope you had a wonderful day. xx
Thank your your kind wishes, SueW. I had a lovely few days celebrating in different ways with different people, and a family dinner on the actual day. The highlight was blowing out the candles (the numbers 8 and 7 with candles on top) with Helen, one of my two-year-old great grandddaughters. Mxx