The A to Z's of Being 63

 

A of for Age/Acceptance/Achievements/Authenticity

Today is day one of the April A to Z blogging challenge for 2022. We are challenged to write every day during the month of April (except Sundays) using the letters A to Z to guide our daily topics. We pick our own theme and I’ve decided to attempt to write on the A to Z’s of Being 63. This will be my fourth time to participate in this month long challenge. The first year I wrote about random things from A to Z. The second year I wrote about the A to Z’s of Israel. Last year I wrote about the A to Z’s of foods we purchased and consumed and some recipes we used during covid. I thought about writing about the A to Z’s of Ireland since we went there during October but I enjoyed blogging about Ireland so much that I didn’t feel I could do justice to A to Z.

I’ve been brainstorming topics for each day. These are the ones I came up with for A: age, accept, achieve, authenticity. Yes, I realize that those could apply to any age not just 63 but I’m going to try to offer my perspective at 63.

So first of all, A is for AGE – that is obvious. I’ve shared that I’m 63. Age is just a number, isn’t it? My mother-in-law, who is 96, told me that she asked her mother, who was 95 at the time, if she felt old. She responded that she “still felt like a girl inside.” Most days that is how I feel, too. I feel like a girl inside. I often feel like I could skip down the street. Do you feel your age? I will admit that when we travel it seems to take a tad longer to recover than when I was younger.

A is also for ACCEPT – At 63, I think I finally accept who I am. I am a wife, a mother, a mother-in-law, a gran, a sister, a sister-in-law, a friend, a co-worker, a Sunday school teacher, a Tuesday night facilitator, a decent cook, a Christian, a #1 on the Enneagram, an introverted extrovert or maybe I am an extroverted introvert. I accept that I am all of these and more. I am who I am. I'm still growing and changing but I'm who I am.

At 63, A is for ACHIEVE – Just because I am 63 doesn’t mean that I can’t achieve my goals. I’m back in school at 63. I’ve started with just one course – Sociology – and I’m working hard to achieve an A. I’m working hard to achieve my weight loss/health goals. What goals do you want to achieve?

A is also for AUTHENTICITY – At 63, I’m pretty authentic. When I’m teaching, I share real life. I don’t make our life sound like it is perfect. It isn’t. Our life is good but never perfect. Just a few weeks ago, in the middle of the announcements in Sunday School, Mark kept interrupting me. I finally yelled, “Would you please shut up?” Needless, to say . . . our class erupted in laughter. I try to be good and kind and loving but every once in a while. . . I might need to yell. That is me. Authentic. I do think that when we are authentic it is easier for others to be authentic, too. When we allow others to see our vulnerabilities, they are willing to be vulnerable.

Wherever you fall on the age spectrum, what are your thoughts on age, acceptance, achievements, and authenticity?