Not Anything and Everything

I met a lovely lady the other day in the pool at my home.  She was there with her daughter and granddaughter, and we were all relaxing and cooling off in the pool.  She’s one of those beautiful, timeless women that makes aging look graceful and elegant.  I was sure she was a former beauty queen or movie star. She blushed when I asked her that, and replied, “I needed to hear that, as I just turned 80!”  I was gob-smacked – I wouldn’t have guessed a day over 65.

So, we started chatting away.  After a while, she said something that really struck me.  We were discussing families, and she told me that her mom had died of congestive heart failure, and her grandmother of diabetes, but her doctor has told her that she doesn’t have anything that might shorten her life.  She said, “I don’t have anything, so I have everything.”

It got me reflecting on this moment in life.  Both my mom and her mom died of heart disease.  But I don’t have heart disease, and I’m working damned hard not to get it.  I don’t have anything – so I have everything!  I have every opportunity to be healthy, to exercise and to build strength.  I love having the time and space to focus on my happiness and health.

As I was leaving the pool, I came across this stunning flower.  I tried to grow hibiscus at my Utah home, but they died quicker than most things I planted (not saying much). It is too cold, too windy, too dry, too arid.  They were expensive failures, and eventually,  I gave up on them. Here in NJ, the hibiscus are lush, vibrant, and plentiful.  They grace us with their stunning colors and beauty.

So, am I like the hibiscus?  Did I need to be transplanted to this rich, verdant land, so I can bloom in this second half of my life?  I think it is so.  I’m putting down new roots, having lots of love and sunshine, rain and mist, and I love it all.

Speaking of love, my son and I took my grandbaby to the beach last weekend.  Seeing him interact with the sand and ocean was so fun and funny.  He was absolutely thrilled- giggling and playing.  We got him good and tired, then filled and hydrated, and brought him home to sleep.  Another treasured memory.