TODAY THE WORDS are ARRIVE AT 65. In history, special important dates are marked down and I am not feeling any international, world fame or even any kind of hero, celebrity, or philosopher, humanitarian, or any of those noteworthy distinctions as I am only me! The reason I mention a special date is today I turn 65 and for some reason, it seems to be a monumental date, a turning point, a significant reason for stopping and taking stock in my normal life (that is if you can say normal in any statement about me). I awoke this morning to my dear husband giving me a beautiful card and asking where I wanted to go for lunch or dinner this weekend; my dogs surrounded me and allowed me a birthday honor of rubbing their ears, backs, and tummies to celebrate their love for me. I wondered why this birthday seems so important; more than the others; and I realized how many things occur when you arrive at 65. I thought I would give you my thoughts on what is so significant about this particular one.
1) Okay, first I have arrived alive. I give thanks for that privilege as so many of our family, classmates, and friends left this earth and never saw 65 or older. I have reason to celebrate every day from here on out as a wonderful gift of life. I have an amazing, loving, giving, funny family and friends to enjoy life.
2) Social Security, and hopefully I get it to fund writing time as I have chosen to keep working part time. I would say this is an entitlement at the government wants to put it but all I have to say is I contributed since I was a teenager into it and I am ENTITLED to getting my own money.
3) Medicare is supposed to be wonderful as I hear from my friends; I have seen the other side of this coin by working with senior patients. I am on a wait and see skeptic of this program. I am hoping I don’t have to use it any time soon.
4) Last year, in July I received health scares and I am happy to say, with some gritting of my teeth, changing my eating life style, proper meds to support some issues, and a change of how I think about my health; my health has changed for the better and it is a daily routine now to read labels, make better decisions, and yes, I cheat once in a while. And today, I may eat something sweet so life is good.
5) Now for the deeper thought….I have learned not to be as serious as I was last year at this time. I plan on laughing, enjoying my life, not worrying about all of the things I could worry about, sing praises about the good things I do have, and enjoy myself like I am. I can, of course, still continue to strive to be healthy and try to look as good as I can for my age, not try to compare myself with young folks as I had my time in the “day”, and find out that truly humor is the best medicine of all.
Yes, I have arrived alive at 65 and may I say, it is fine with me. I have been blessed to be able to expand my interests and knowledge, I have learned so many things this past year or two, I am writing which I love to do, and I have received the blessing of life with family and friends thrown in for good measure. But more importantly than all of this, my love for Our God has strengthened and blossomed and I celebrate this birthday because of HIM. Celebrate each birthday with praises to The Creator of birthdays with thanks!
DAILY FEATURED BIBLE VERSE:
Romans 14:7-9 ESV
For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living
(c) copyright 2014 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted, use only by permission.
