I’m there!

At last I have arrived at that point in my life when I can truly say that I am well pleased! Many factors have at length come together nicely. Unquestionably this is gloating, but I have to say I like it!

The truth of the matter however is that, typically of any person whose personality approaches that of being mildly bipolar, this current elevation may be nothing more than a mood swing. Yet an analysis of recent events in my life leads me to believe – and accept – that I have in fact attained a degree of satisfaction which is the culmination of concerted effort and calculated choices. Perhaps I am one who is easily fulfilled, but either way it works.


Each of us likes to be productive. Most often even the most casual conversation with a friend or acquaintance will involve the discussion of recent accomplishments or undertakings. My experience as a maturing adult was that the initial years of learning and working were for the most part an up-hill battle. A hurried reflection upon the past often leaves me shaking in my boots as I recollect the struggles I endured, frequently with no desire whatever to relive the events. Of course these reminiscences speak to the experiences by which we learn, as trying as they may have been.

There is no question that lately I have spent as much time contemplating where not to go as where to go. If nothing else the unpleasant or less desirable memories of the past highlight the dangers to be avoided. The progress in these matters is certainly not merely introspective; action is required, “boots on the ground” to adopt the military turn of phrase. I would characterize my present state of mind as that of casting off unprofitable activities and possessions. The simplicity of this approach highlights that there really is nothing complicated about life except what we do to complicate it. My aging process has distinctly involved letting go of the surplusage in my life. This can sometimes translate into something as liberating as speaking one’s own mind (at times with some risk of offense to others). Casting off bad habits and material possessions which do nothing but bring you down in the end is decidedly a prescription for uplifting one’s self.

Why it is that one should wait so long to take remedial action isn’t clear to me. Perhaps the process is the natural effect of aging. Maybe nature teaches us in spite of ourselves. On the other hand I am convinced that judicious reflection is the author of much of what transpires. I am now guided in my behaviour and social patterns by maxims which I have formulated after months of observation. I suppose it is a happy accident of getting older that one has the time to do so. I confess that personal examination wasn’t always a top priority.

As I mentioned there is more than a small element of triumph in these matters. And why not! At sixty-two years of age, having dedicated myself relentlessly to scaling the daunting terrain that is life, it’s about time I relished the evolution to date. Let’s face it, time is running out. But even if time isn’t running out (which of course it is), there is nothing whatever unbecoming about enjoying the present view of the surrounding landscape. It matters not so much what one sees as how one sees it. From my vantage, it looks delicious!