My husband and I relocated to Florida in January, 1991. \u00a0I had resigned from my job in July of 1990, freeing us to leave MN and head to a warm climate for the winter. \u00a0We chose Florida because I had a sister who lived here in the winter months too. \u00a0I’m still thrilled with this choice and feel even more committed to it as the years pass. \u00a0However, they are passing way too quickly. \u00a0I was 51 when we came. \u00a0I’ll see 75 in a few months, God willing, as the saying goes. \u00a0There won’t be another 24 like the last 24. \u00a0Of that I’m certain.<\/p>\n
I have no intention of being maudlin in this post, but when you are pushing 75, you look ahead a bit more tentatively. \u00a0My parents lived into their late 80’s \u00a0My grandparents did too. \u00a0I fully expect to see 90 at least, but I’ll not be in the same physical condition that I am now. \u00a0Of that, I’m certain. \u00a0Like many my age, I spend some time, nearly daily, contemplating how the remaining years will be lived and where. \u00a0Health will be the deciding factor. \u00a0I’m hopeful that health will allow us to be in Florida for another decade, at least. \u00a0But one of the things I’m beginning to realize is that you become more willing to let your body dictate what you can and can’t do. \u00a0I still remember my mother saying, when she was 88, that she laid in bed in the morning thinking of all she would do when she got up and then remembered, as she rose, that most of what she had thought about, were beyond her capabilities. \u00a0What a bitter realization we all must face.<\/p>\n
One of my strong beliefs, however, is that we create our own reality. \u00a0By that I mean, we choose our perspective and the life we experience is what we have “decided” to experience. \u00a0That’s a harsh assessment, I know. \u00a0It paints a pretty negative picture for the soul who is living in a diseased body or the child who is destined to live only a very short life. \u00a0However, no one of us can say what any one of us is here to teach the rest of us. \u00a0And I think we are on assignment, you and I. \u00a0Where we reside is part of the equation. \u00a0We agreed to it. \u00a0And we will have already agreed to our end, whenever it comes. \u00a0That belief makes my remaining years far more peaceful. \u00a0There really isn’t anything to fret about when I remember that life has been decided already. \u00a0My life and yours too. \u00a0Let’s simply make up our minds to enjoy them. \u00a0Okay?<\/p>\n
2014 can be the best year ever. I plan to make it so. \u00a0Will you too?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My husband and I relocated to Florida in January, 1991. \u00a0I had resigned from my job in July of 1990, freeing us to leave MN and head to a warm climate for the winter. \u00a0We chose Florida because I had a sister who lived here in the winter months too. \u00a0I’m still thrilled with this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-your-experience-strength-and-hope"],"yoast_head":"\n