Growing Old Gracefully BY: Lori Loesch

I would like to grow old gracefully.  I don’t want to be a grouchy old woman, complaining, daily, hourly, about, everything.  I want to be graceful, have grace…is that the word I want to use?  Grace? Could it be, Finesse?  Maybe Poise?  They all mean the same, so, yes, this is the me that I want to become.  Much like Maya Angelou.  She had all of the afore mentioned words.  I liked to watch her, and listen to her being interviewed, by Oprah.  Hers is the essence that I want to emulate.  

 I want to know when to stay quiet, and when to say words that help.  I like it when I’m feeling confident, peaceful, at one with the spirit.  I don’t like when I get angry and upset, and handle things in a way that is not indicative to being graceful, poised.   That’s not the me that I want to be.

I feel like a person always under construction, always trying to do better, be a better human.  I want to see the other perspective.  And I usually do, see both sides to every story.  That’s a challenge. Is that being wishy washy?  Or could I say that is being tolerant to both parties in any given situation?  It’s a fine line between everything.  I always take things to the extreme.  Seeing both sides and trying to work through a problem is a good thing.  It is not an easy thing. 

I will look at things in a positive light.  There is a positive to everything.  I have Macular Degeneration.    I have started thinking that I do not need perfect vision to live.  I have the other senses, to pull me through.  It’s easier to be this peaceful, positive person, when I’m outside with nature.  It’s when I am in a new environment, a new grocery store, at a ballet, or graduation, that I need to set myself up to not “freak out” because I need a little time to acclimate my vision. To become familiar with the new surroundings.  

It’s not a death sentence.  It’s, yet another, hurdle to jump over, and keep jumping over, until it becomes second nature to me.  Growing old gracefully…I hope it’s not too much to ask.  

Tags: being positive, grace, macular degeneration, poise, vision