January is a hard month for me. Seeing the calendar move to 2022 is a hard to miss sign that time is passing and another year has gone by. I was barely adjusted to 2021 when the clock chimed midnight Dec 31. I am just one day older, but he old man in me has other ideas. He concludes that soon I will be 77 and 60 seems so long ago.
The boy in me I doesn’t feel so old. He still wants to play, explore and try new things. That tug-o-war between these parts is a daily inner dialogue. “The spirit is willing but the flesh is unable” is becoming more apparent.
To cope with this slow deterioration, I have developed daily regimens to keep the flesh healthier. A morning workout is now necessary, as is a dedicated hour of physical activity. I ignore my inner complaints so walking or biking are daily routines- rain or shine. I do my exercises regardless of mood and motivation. Often starting tired and resentful, the workout transforms my feelings and my spirits and mood are uplifted. The scenery and physical movement generate creative and inspired thoughts and ideas.
Morning walks or rides free the afternoon hours for picking up a pencil to draw, using woodworking tools to carve, or checking out the pantry to cook.
If I can just focus on today and the moments that come to me, the worry of aging diminishes and the magic of ‘now’ appears.
