My First BLOG for 2012, How To Grow Old Gracefully

For some one that turned seventy one back in September 2011 I tell my self I don't feel like a seventy one year old. That's my mind telling me that, my body is trying to tell me some thing different. LOL As most of you know I had major back surgery last year. The back surgery was a success but since the surgery I have had trouble with weak legs from the knees down. The Doctors have told me it may take up to a year for that to go away. It doesn't cause me to not to able to do most every thing I did before it just means I have to do it slower. LOL The pain I was having before the surgery was excruciating, I am so thankful to be free of that pain that I try not to complain about my legs. When I went for my first consultation with the surgeon he asked me a lot of questions about my past as far as why I thought I had the back problems. I said well I played all the sports and played hard at them. I have rode ATV's, wave runners, horses, probably lifted things the wrong way, etc. He asked me if I wish I had avoided doing some of those things and I said Hell no I had to much fun to look back and complain about it now. As I am getting older I've become more kind to myself and less critical of myself, I figure why dwell on it as there is nothing I can do about it now.

I have seen too many family members and dear friends leave this world too soon before they understood the great freedom from aging.

My motto is I can't stop from growing old but I can stop from growing up and that is what I try to do. That's one of the reasons I try to spend so much time with Carter & Griffin, they help keep me young. I try to avoid negative people as much as I can because they will drag you down. I like to hang out with crazy people which for me is easy because almost all of my family and friends are crazy. LOL A big plus for me is that both of wives have been crazy also, Bubba was crazy and so is Joan which means life almost is never boring.

I am some times very forgetful but there is things in my past I want to forget any way. Actually I tell myself I just drove those bad things out of my mind so I can concentrate on remembering the good things.. LOL

Has my heart been broken? Yes many, many, times. How can your heart not be broken when you have lost as many family and wonderful friends as I have. How could I not be heart broken when my Daughter had a major stroke at the age of 45. Her quality of life is not great but she has a Husband, A Daughter, and a wonderful Mother-in-Law who love her and take care of her. How could I not be heart broken when my beautiful step daughter Janet was taken from us on Christmas Eve 2002, as the result of a tragic car accident.
My Father passed away when I was 12 years old. Those are just a few of the times my heart has been broken but you know what as I look back over my life I realize that the ups in my life have far, far, out numbered the downs and for that I am grateful. Dear family and friends the advice I would like to give you and I only wish I had started doing it a lot sooner in my life is to dwell on all the good things you have experienced and less on the bad things.

If you have family and friends that love you, if you have reasononly good health yet, if you laughed a lot more in your life than you have cried than count your blessings.

So what if I don't have any hair, so many of my family and friends didn't live long enough to lose their hair. As I grow older I actually find it is easier to be positive, you get to a point where you don't care what other people think about you, I don't berate my self nearly as much as I used to, I think I have earned the right to be wrong. LOL

I actually like the person I have become. I am not going to be here forever but I have adopted the

philosophy my late Dear Brother-in-Law Frank Strawderman had, he said he was going to live until he died and that's just what he did, and that's what I hope to do, I want to live until I die.I for sure will try not to worry myself about could have been because with the great life I have had I figure I really didn't miss out on too much.

 

Always remember to forget

The things that made you sad

But never forget the things

That made you glad

Always remember to forget the

Family and Friends that proved untrue

But never forget the ones

 That stuck by you

Always remember to forget the troubles

That passed away, but never forget

To remember the blessings that come each day

If you get a second chance, grab it

With both hands.

If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy

They just promised it would be worth it.

May you always have a smile on you face

And laughter in your heart

Forever and ever!!!!!!!!