I’m often asked, What’s the secret of your young spirit? I am 88.
I have no secret. An outlook, yes. Each day comes as an open window.
I have reasonably good health (after three bouts with breast cancer…and a back that balks at elongated standing or walking), for which I’m deeply grateful. I’m not worry free. My daughter has pancreatic cancer. She too has a vital spirit that keeps her dealing realistically with each day, as she keeps working as a jewelry historian. My son is struggling herocially with the down-turn of the economy. I am a retired psychotherapist…living in a Santa Monica apartment,for 25 years with my second husband.
So what keeps me lively and life-loving? For one, a fantastic husband,
who loves me and accepts my foibles. We share interests and values. For another, a life-long ability to live in the moment and trust that I can handle what is dished out to me. An important factor, from as far back as I can remember, is the urge toward creativity…particularly in writing, poetry, prose. Within the past five years or so, I’ve also put my efforts toward art forms…collage, art boxes.
Above all, I strive to honor the imagination’s dictates, having disciplined myself in learning my craft. Although my poetry and other works have been published and produced commercially, it isn’t this that urges me to continue writing, creating an art form. As most people who follow their creativity will agree, the work is a compulsion, in and of itself. The reward is in the doing, in the “here it is!” surprise…often never finished.
Of course, relationships with family and friends offer the immensely nurturing factor of love, the give-and-take of personal involvement,
which are a constant spiritual part of my life. Friendship to me means presence, a kind of emotional, spiritual and intellectual availability that brings into being the most basic human interaction, that is like a pebble in the pond…reverberating. It calls on the best in me and when I fail, I appreciate what I still must learn.
Is this all enough? It certainly is for me!
you are an amazing life force dear pego, we can learn from you. bee
Oh, Honey Bee….
I was finally able to read your comment….such a dear one! Thank you.
Wow, so much wisdom here. I am slowing coming to understand and appreciate the reality of what you share here.
Thanks for your appreciative comments. It’s nice to know that someone not within my own circle of friends reads my blogs…and actually gets something from them! Not sure how you happen to access them.
I understand, believe me. I write because I cannot not write! But I think I have all of about 5 people who read occasionally. I write poetry also, there’s a link to my other blog on my site on one of the other pages.
I can’t remember how i came by your blog! Possibly it was one WordPress proposed to me? And “retired therapist” caught my attention, as I have several therapist friends.