In my last post, I ended with a promise that I would tell you how I became a believer that the period of life after 50 isn’t about slowing down, it’s about getting your second wind. On the downhill side of life, you can get through your days at a more relaxed pace. There are fewer demands and less urgency. The need to maintain the “rep,” “make the grade,” and keep up with the whozits has no significance. And, maybe that’s why so many people slip into a lifestyle of moderate imagination, gentle goals and sedate activity.
Now, don’t misunderstand me… I’m not advocating giving in to a mid-life crisis wherein you try to turn the clock back and relive your youth. Face it, no matter how young at heart you think are, your body is old; have some compassion for it. No, what I’m talking about is using the sum of the parts… putting together that feeling of invincibility you had as a 20-year-old, some of the drive you had in your 30’s and, for the sake of your old body, let’s throw in the maturity you gained in your 40’s — pool all those life stages and become an explorer of possibilities. Consider it payback to your kids for the many years you spent wondering what the hell they were going to do next. That sounds fair... and even righteous.
While 35 and 40 used to be considered middle age, modern medicine has stretched that to 45 and, possibly, even 50, so you still have a lot of years left on this earth. The hard part is deciding how you want to spend those years. Maybe becoming a homebody who gardens and babysits the grandkids is exactly what floats your boat, and that’s great! The important thing is that you choose that lifestyle because it is what you want, not because it is what you think you SHOULD want. Grandchildren are great and the reward you get for making it through two generations of teens, yours and your kids'. I have two grandchildren myself. But, I’m their grandmother, not their substitute parent.
So, now we get down to the nitty-gritty of what this blog is about. Think about that wish list I suggested before. How would you end the sentence, “I really wish I had been able to…” For me, the finishing of that sentence was “…travel more.”
As I mentioned before, I have always been interested in history. I was born and lived most of my life in Texas, which has a glorious history that is vigorously taught at a very early age. I learned about the Alamo before I learned my parents had names other than “mama” and “daddy.” And, in school, it was only after spending an entire year learning Texas history that I was allowed to move on to World and American History. While European and Asian countries have histories that trace back for millennia, it’s pretty much about one ruler wanting to knock off another ruler, so he can claim territory and subjugate the inhabitants, in order to get more money from taxes to pay for the war he just fought to knock off another ruler, so he could claim the territory and subjugate the inhabitants in order to get more taxes… well, you get the picture. But, in American History, I saw fifty unique legacies of discovery and innovation, expansion and settlement, pride and shame, victory against all odds and heartbreaking loss… and I wanted to know more, but by experience, not by just reading about them in textbooks. However, travel was a luxury I felt I couldn’t afford, so I read… and read… and read. Then, in my mid-forties, life circumstances necessitated a move to Kansas City, which has an interesting and unique history of its own. I fell in love with the city immediately, in spite of the fear of a major life change, and yearned even more to see and smell and taste everything America had to offer.
As if by fate, something occurred that forced me to purchase airfare… a mistake I made in not reporting that expense on behalf of an executive I supported and, quite frankly, didn’t want to admit to making. So, I bit the bullet and paid for it myself. The airline and its fares helped determine the destination as Seattle, and thus started my age of enlightenment. Making that trip to a strange and interesting location, taking that one adventurous step of traveling solo, sparked in me a spirit of exploration, not just of locales, but of deep-rooted interests, hidden talents and undiscovered tastes. Travel became my real-life, hands-on, history-seeking gratification. Not all my trips are long distance. Weekend getaways can provide plenty of learning and adventure. But, at each of my destinations, I make sure there is one aspect of the trip that is a unique — or even outrageous —experience, and that I enjoy as much of the local culture and food as possible. (Please read about my travels under the tab of “Trains, Planes and Automobiles” located at the top of the blog.)
Very recently, I was trying to talk a friend of mine into taking a trip with me to the Grand Canyon. I mentioned that I wanted to take a helicopter ride into the interior of the Canyon. She wasn’t interested. When I asked her why, it was the usual excuse of the risk of a crash. I said, “Are you kidding me? If the damned thing does go down, it’ll be in a blaze of glory in the beauty and magnificence of the Grand Canyon! We’ll be legends to our grandkids!” I didn’t win that battle; but, I have every intention of winning the war against fuddy-duddy. Just as a viral joke suggested to me once, my ultimate goal is to leave this world in a long skid, thinking, "Woohoo, what a ride!"
Now that you’ve heard about my ongoing mission to combat decrepitude, I hope you’ll tell me yours! And, if this has inspired you in any way, I would love to know. Come back again, soon!
After I had a few foreign trips under my belt, my Mother said, “Paula, I’m so afraid when you take foreign trips. What if you die overseas? Or worse, what if you die in a plane crash?” I looked my Mother square in the eyes and said, “Well if I die overseas – or even in a plane crash – at least I will die doing something I dearly love and not die sitting at my desk at work.” And that is exactly how I feel about it. I’m not going to do something dangerous, careless, or stupid. But I am going to travel, to see other cultures, to see historical things, & eat new food. And then, I always come home with a new-found respect for the United States of America , Texas, and my home & family. Holly, I so admire you for travelling alone. For all my trips in the USA and abroad, I have only traveled alone once. But even then I went to a beach house we had rented many times before & I took my dog with me. I guess I am going to have to ‘pull my big girl panties on’ and make a trip alone. Oh, and one more thing. After diving the Great Barrier Reef (when I don’t even know how to swim) – if no one else will get on that helicopter with you – I WILL.
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