Written by: Barbara Powell Love, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As I stood in front of my library, I was reminded that my life somewhat resembled a library of books, with chapters and pages. Each book in my life library represents a milestone with different chapters and pages. Some of the books are hardbacks with beautiful covers and smooth pages that are comfortable to read repeatedly, remembering the good times. Some are soft paperbacks of favorite authors, yet difficult to read which represents confusing times in my life. Yet, others, although torn and somewhat tattered with wrinkled pages and even some missing pages, are a part of my library of memories, some good, some bad. I have learned to cherish them all. I could share so many of these books, however, today, I will share just a few.
The book of aging
When I was young, I remember being so excited to turn six and then saying that I was six and a half. I remember impatiently waiting to turn thirteen so that I could be a teen. Then later I looked forward to being eighteen so that I would graduate from high school. I was excited to turn twenty-one when I could do whatever I wanted. I was always rushing to the next age.
Now that I am older, I realize that the only time in my life when I wished I were older was when I was young. After turning twenty-one, I don’t ever recall saying that I was twenty-one and a half, and no fractions of age after that. When I was twenty-nine, I turned thirty as if I was soured milk and needed to be thrown out. I felt kind of sad that I was leaving my youthful twenties behind. Before I could blink, I was thirty-nine and PUSHING forty. Before I could recover, I had reached fifty as if I was climbing towards a mountain peak!
I read somewhere that when we make it to sixty, it’s as if we are trudging up the tip of a mountain! In our sixties, life seems to go full speed, then we hit our seventies, and if the Lord allows, we reach our eighties, a monumental time in our lives. Many people won’t make it. However, some are blessed to go beyond into their nineties and even higher! By that time, we may see that we are ending the Book of Age, and the question along the journey is, “How did I get here and where did my life go so quickly?”
Now, I try not to dwell on my age, but enjoy each day that I find myself above the ground. I have discovered in this book that life is what you make it, no matter the age. I cherish each day and I am amazed just how fast time flies. I have learned to make the best of each part of the aging journey. If I had the opportunity, I would tell my younger self to enjoy each age and stop rushing it. In this book, aging has taught me the importance of patience, an appreciation of good health, and mental stability.
The book of learning
Life is full of lessons to learn. I have learned the importance of technology, and have decided that no matter what, technology will not get the best of me. I stay informed. I keep learning new things, and I am in tune with technological changes. I don’t like being left behind, so I have discovered that it’s good to change with the times. I have learned that learning is never-ending. Every day, there is a lesson to learn, and not just in technology. There is value in knowing who I am, and knowing that I can choose to have joy daily. I have learned to rule my mind instead of allowing my mind to rule me. I have learned that it is best to forgive those who have hurt or harmed me in some way. Forgiveness is not for them but for me. I have learned the value of letting go of bitterness because I want better. I have learned from younger people that even at my age, I can learn from them. I have also discovered in this book that I have a great deal of knowledge to share with them as well. Most of all, I have learned how to be grateful, even for the little things. Gratitude is powerful! When we are grateful for all the goodness we have and WHO we must be thankful to, our gratitude turns into abundance!
The book of gratitude
I have learned to be grateful for all the blessings that have come my way. I heard a story years ago about a man on one side of a riverbank asking another person on the other side of the river how he could get to the other side. The person told him that he was already on the other side, which is where they were trying to get to. I’ve learned that some have wished they were on my side of the riverbank. I am sad to say there were times in the past that I wished I could have been on the side of someone else’s riverbank. I learned that all that glistens is not gold. I am grateful for my right mind because there is someone on the other side of the proverbial river who woke up this morning out of their mind. I am grateful for my children no matter what issues may have arisen over the years. I learned to appreciate my weight instead of looking at someone else, wishing I was their size when someone was thinking of me, and wishing they had my body when I was only looking at my flaws. I am grateful for my five senses, I can see, I can hear, I can smell, I can touch, and I can taste. There is someone on the other side who can’t see the beauty of the flowers and the trees, smell the wonderful aroma of the delicious food cooking on the stove, or even be able to taste it when it’s done. There is someone on the other side who is unable to hear a newborn baby cry or touch the soft fur of a kitten. I have learned to appreciate my side of the riverbank, and I now have a renewed sense of joy just being where I am.
The book of mental health
I surround myself with positive thinkers and try to stay away from people who are always complaining about getting old, dwelling on their aches and pains, and other negative dwellings. I have learned to find humor in life and look for something to make me laugh daily. Sometimes I even laugh at myself. Other times I cry because crying can be cleansing. I don’t suppress it if I feel the need to let the tears flow. Holding tears in is bad for the heart in my humble opinion. I find things that bring me joy, whatever it might be. I have learned to appreciate family, with all the perfect imperfections. I gather with them as often as possible, surrounding myself with their love and telling them that I love them. They know that I love them, and I know they love me too, but it’s so nice to hear regularly. I cuddle with my husband, children, and grandchildren whenever possible, and I make phone calls to friends just to check in from time to time.
I cherish good health, stay mentally fit, and find joy in simple things like sitting on my patio, listening to the wind chimes on a breezy day, and listening to birds chirping. I enjoy seeing the flowering plants swaying in the breeze. The peace of those moments is invaluable. There are times that I also travel but I don’t take guilt trips anymore, worrying about past mistakes that I can’t do anything about. I only take trips now to places that I enjoy, such as thrifting, visiting old friends and family, visiting other churches, exploring nearby towns, perusing farmers markets, enjoying jazz concerts in the park, and sometimes camping.
The book of listening
In fourth grade, I learned a poem about the wise old owl who sat on an oak. The more he heard the less he spoke, the less he spoke, the more he heard. We were admonished to learn how to be like that wise old bird. I have learned to listen more than I speak. It is amazing how many lessons are known just by listening. I have also learned to not believe everything that I hear, but also to not disregard many things that I hear. It is called discernment. As humans, we sometimes have misconceptions about others due to our perception of them. Our biases can prevent us from listening, especially if we perceive them as someone not worth listening to. At other times, we may find ourselves listening to someone who can lead us astray. I can count the number of times I fell for some multilevel marketing speech because the speaker sounded so eloquent. On a more personal basis, I have fallen for sweet words dripping with honey. The result was heartbreak and disillusionment. This book of listening taught me to be wise enough to know when to listen, what to discard what I heard, and when to speak.
Book of life
The interpretation of life is a matter of perspective. I have learned that there can be no comparison of my life to someone else’s life. I learned a while back that the life that I live can be an inspiration to one person and it can mean absolutely nothing to another. I have never considered myself to be financially wealthy, but I live a simple, but rich life. I have learned the art of adapting to changes, people, emotions, experiences, and processes in life.
God has blessed me with so much and has lived up to His promise that He wished only the best for His children. However, there have been times in my life when I did not see just how blessed I was. I compared myself to others who seemed to have so much more than I did. However, over the years, I have learned to be thankful for all that I have, all that I have gone through, and all that I have been able to accomplish. Furthermore, the grass is not as green as it may look on the other side.
The book of wins and losses
Wins and losses are a part of life. There have been many wins in my life, but also many losses. I have learned that the key is not to lose the lesson when I experience the loss. The knowledge here is that neither wins nor losses are permanent. I remember during a very low time in my life, I asked God, “Why me?” I lamented how I had been a good person and I could not understand why this bad thing was happening to me. The simple answer was, “Why not me?” What made me so different than someone else? I had to learn that this book was a series of learning. I came across a quote by President Lyndon B. Johnson years ago that stuck with me; ‘yesterday was not mine to recover, but my tomorrows were mine to win or mine to lose.’ I learned how to grow and learn as well as how to reflect on what was learned through my losses as well as my wins.
Barbara Powell Love, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Barbara Powell Love is currently the Office Manager for a small medical practice. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree concentrating in Business Development. Barbara is also the owner of Beebe Love's Beauty @www.beebelove.com, a blogging website to promote beauty, motivate, inform, provide mental stimulation, educate, inspire and encourage other women over 50 to embrace their inner beauty and pursue their dreams. Her blog focuses on personal development, leadership, and lifestyle. She encourages women to become Seasoned Beauties instead of becoming Senior Citizens.
