When I first got up the morning of the retreat this past Saturday, I dreaded it. I couldn’t imagine what we could possibly do for 7 hours. However, I did end up enjoying my day. I was able to connect with people in the class. I learned more about the various facets that involve aging and the various things that affect older people. We played a game that demonstrated how things completely out your control, like your birth weight or your family’s economic status, could affect so much of your life. We also took a walk around the beautiful area surrounding the Martin Johnson house and discussed the terrain from the perspective of an older person. The entire day was very insightful for me and I was glad I went.
Later in the day were asked to reflect on what we would like our lives to be like at age 80. This made me think about a friend of mine. His name is Jim. He was formerly in the Navy and served in the California Highway Patrol. Now retired, at 71, he spends his time kickboxing, going on cross country roadtrips, pursuing artistic endeavors, and taking care of his 5 mini dachshunds. For me, Jim is the definition of carefree. In some ways, I’d like my life to be like this. At 70 or 80, I want to be retired from an amazing career that I can be proud of. I want to be financially stable enough to support my children’s academic careers, my travels with my husbands, and our 10 golden retrievers. Essentially, I just want to be comfortable, happy, and ready to enjoy life without worry.
Later in the day were asked to reflect on what we would like our lives to be like at age 80. This made me think about a friend of mine. His name is Jim. He was formerly in the Navy and served in the California Highway Patrol. Now retired, at 71, he spends his time kickboxing, going on cross country roadtrips, pursuing artistic endeavors, and taking care of his 5 mini dachshunds. For me, Jim is the definition of carefree. In some ways, I’d like my life to be like this. At 70 or 80, I want to be retired from an amazing career that I can be proud of. I want to be financially stable enough to support my children’s academic careers, my travels with my husbands, and our 10 golden retrievers. Essentially, I just want to be comfortable, happy, and ready to enjoy life without worry.