You’re only as happy as your least happy child.
Or your least happy friend.
Or your least happy body part.
The weird thing about aging, your former ‘favorite body parts’ aren’t quite as high on the liked list anymore, suffering from underuse – or worse.
Parts that were just ‘there’, now screaming for attention.
Many you’d heard of, but never really knew what they did.
Some thrown into a hospital dumpster…
My prostate one of those body parts dumpsterized, and believe me, when I when I miss it, I really miss it.
My kidneys failed in the wilds of Maine, but got better.
I learned during limited dialysis bouts they “filter your blood, remove waste, balance your fluids”. And you know how I love my fluids…
I suffered from gout for decades – when it settles in your knee it’s a religious experience – but it’s finally stopped. Damn you, uric acid!
I like to believe beer drinking stopped the gout; as you know My Captor’s ‘cause’ for whatever’s afflicting me is anything that gives me pleasure. So, beer will either kill me or cure me, depending on the day.
Now, I do understand that unless you’re my doctor, the foregoing Organ Recital wasn’t very interesting. But it’s my post. So, be patient – maybe it gets interesting from here…
A few months ago, everyone had a weighted walking vest.
I bought a 16-pounder recently.
Once again, I’m a late adopter. Definitely not a fad guy, and since this one appeared to be over, thought it was safe. I’ve even now begun eating protein, risked the future of mankind by using AI, and appeared in a sorority recruitment video.
The vest has taught me some things, though, so I only mildly regret the purchase.
The first: It’s easier to walk without a vest. But that would lead to a tough amortization of my purchase, no turning back.
The second: Posture the key to life.
When I beach walk, I typically look straight ahead, at the sand. A balance lesson I learned from one of my new sorority sisters.
But with the vest, it’s better to walk erect (yes, at my age!), eyes ahead. At the ocean.
Look mom: Proper posture!
The ocean the best part of the walk… and proper posture keeps you from toppling backwards, stuck like a turtle on its back.
Which happened to me recently, but it turned into a relaxing day on the beach.
The third: Turn your mind off – for a little while – enjoy life’s simple pleasures!
My daily walk focused on solving my share of the world’s problems, every now and then working through a Nifty.
But staring at the ocean reminds us how meaningless we all are (in the scheme of things, of course) and that we’ll all be dead soon. So don’t worry about anything. Particularly your credit score.
That wasn’t me, it was the guy on the beach I asked “How are you?”; but it did remind that the simple pleasures really matter. And that my hip didn’t really hurt…
And: Friendly beach waving only, no talking. Ever again.
The lesson, though: It’s all in our perspective.
If we can calmly contemplate nothing for a bit, before returning to our hectic lives, we’ll be better for it. We really are lucky – remember your whys and hows.
As for your least happy child: You’ll worry about them until they worry about you. They’re lucky to have you.
Just listening to your least happy friend, might be exactly what they need to feel lucky.
But there ain’t nothing I can do about my hip…
ENHANCE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS POST, PAIR WITH THE FOLLOWING ‘AGING HIPSTER MUSIC/READING’:
Elbow is a great, long standing English band. Quite enjoyable.
And Love Is Not Enough still available on Amazon. What a great read for anyone who has dealt with mental health or addiction issues. Or just wants to read about family love and recovery.