Bouquets for Life

 

I found myself thinking back to when I first did this and then realized that it’s been happening for such a long time that I can’t actually remember when that began. 

 

It has to do with bouquets like this one and when they call to me across the store or path.

 

Suddenly I find myself popping them into my basket with a smile to purchase the bouquet for myself at times. 

 

Yes, I do buy flowers for others throughout the year, for celebrations or times of remembrance and yet when the smiling begins, I do follow through. Bouquets for life count for me. 

 

How fun is this? 

Completely! 

 

I now realize that this comes well for me as I am now in my second half of my century as well as in my 3rd Act. 

There is more to being in this second half.

Then it comes to me that there is more to being in this second half of life so here we go. 

 

Hold on to your lifeline as there are some words to say. 

Age is going to come, if I am lucky. 

 

The beginning came as I was reading and learning this from Ingrid Fetell Lee about Aging which brings these three things to me. 

 

Imagine that three things for me to focus on.

 

As I begin, I’d like to stroll along with a few others who have shown me how to come along with being OLDE. 

 

Yes, aging can become a four-letter word as life continues and yet, my friends there is also that joy. 

 

I have many examples of growing into this 3rd Act and part of the century. 

Think about your people as I grow a small list here:

 

Grandparents who built houses or met their cowboys then a

Great-aunt who threw feed into pickups or drive 4-wheelers and

Uncles who talk like ducks or 

Parents who are tenaciously unstoppable with

A husband and son who guide and cheer from here and there. 

 

Did you create your power list of who can come along with aging? 

 

Here are a few other things that can come and also what I have found. 

I celebrated with bouquets for life!

When I turned the half century mark, I realized that I had been waiting to turn that age for the entire 50 years. I celebrated with everyone including bouquets for life at this time for me!

 

It was time for the next life to start as every moment of the previous years stayed intact. 

 

As Ingrid mentions in the article, I turned to living with awe to move along with every day. 

 

At times, it was to see each moment. 

 

Perhaps this is the truth for you all. Awe is more than being aware of the awesome or awe-inspiring moments. 

 

Being in awe of how our son lived in his life is what brought me to my pause and walking mediation. 

 

Pace and space are how my life has developed with grand moments of me saying thank you to those on my list.

 

What else is there? 

 

Oh yes, I do buy myself flowers as you have seen. These are the recent ones and my lands! The fall flowers were inside, outside and upside down in our house this fall. 

 

Bouquets for life continue to bring joy and I can bring it for myself along with others around me. 

 

Finally, there is this piece that I reflected on for quite a while. 

It is actually part of me and that may have been in me for years. 

Being curious has taught me more powerfully.

Being curious has taught me more powerfully in the past decade or so. 

 

Learning to lean in and become curious with what is changing around me has become part of how life is evolving. 

 

Is that possible when the OLDE is happening? 

 

Yes, and yes. 

 

Again, that is the power of going into this next part of life. 

 

Remaining active and curious is the way I will continue to go, with a trembling force when necessary to reflect on all my next steps. 

 

So, here I go with awe, flowers that pull me in with all those colors for those bouquets for life and then curiosity to bring the joy.

 

Create your path with what this time of life means for you my friends for your bouquet for life.