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Growing Up Like Grandma

April 14, 2010

Grandma and me

My sisters have hinted more than once that I must have “come from the milkman.” Not because of my creamy complexion (I wish!), or my knack for guzzling plain, nonfat yogurt, but because I look nothing like them. I’m the only one with brown eyes, straight curves and small teats. And, though I’m pretty sure the milkman wasn’t involved, I hope it’s more because I take after my grandma.

My grandma is a 95-year-old ‘ever-ready bunny.’ She truly is built to last (and it has nothing to do with the batteries she uses!). This is partly due to her stout German genes, but mostly because of the way she lives. Grandma is a stickler for routine and her everyday habits have served her well. Even though she has nine and a half decades under her belt, she can still drive, cook, volunteer and tie her own shoes.

More and Less

Seeking the right balance.

March 23, 2010

Fourscore and four years ago, I took my first breath. If another fourscore and four years would pass before I took my last breath, one could say I lived a long life. This would put me right smack in the middle of it now, so it’s about time I stop and reflect on how I want to live the second half of my years. What do I want more and less of, so that one could say I lived a long, healthy and happy life?

After yin-yanging back and forth, I came up with forty-four more’s and less’s for aging stronger and living better during the second half of my journey…

Second Half

Spring 2010

Ah, glorious Spring! My most favorite season… the birdsong, the blossoms, the brisk, blue air… a time of rebirth, renewal, aliveness. It instills hope for second chances and personal growth. It inspires blossoming, bursting, bubbling forth… which makes it the perfect time to consider my new journey.

It’s not that I haven’t been thinking about where I’m headed, but thinking and doing are two different things. So, now I am considering taking that first step. A step that will change my whole life, the rest of my life. Now is the perfect time, now is the perfect season, so here goes… I am stepping into the second half of my life!

Vitamin O

Everyone needs some “Vitamin O”

March 22, 2011

I recently moved to the Monterey Bay Peninsula, which brought me back to one of my true loves—the ocean. I was fortunate enough to grow up by the Caribbean Sea, in the tiny country of Belize. My playground was the second largest barrier reef in the world. It gave me the chance to frolic with a wonderfully diverse marine life. Some of my most memorable encounters were coming nose-to-nose with a whale shark, being followed by barracudas, and getting stung by a stingray.

Now after three decades, I am living once again by the coast, once again receiving my daily dose of Vitamin O. I’ve been thinking about the ageless quality of the ocean. How it endures with tireless power, instinctive purpose, and timeless rhythm. One wavy breath after another. Gazing at the horizon reminds me of the life still before me—most days it will be smooth sailing, some days it may be rough, but always the sunset is spectacularly golden. My skin may end up a bit more weathered, but it’s worth it for the adventure, the awe, the joy, and the connection.

Growing Up Like Grandma

More and Less

Second Half

Vitamin O

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