By Gerald Irish
Haliburton seniors: Here are some things I have learned as I have progressed through the wonderful years of my life.
I have little or no time to harbour bitterness hatred or contempt. They consume too much time and leave me with feelings I do not enjoy. I work hard at trying to stop looking for people situations or vocabulary to check and correct. My red pen from my teaching days has been retired as have I.
It doesn’t matter what people say. So I don’t always use the correct verbiage or vocabulary. So what! How important is it that we should edit it? It is not! I have stopped this with people around me. I only correct speakers on TV. I can’t hurt or bother them.
How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one or when a child suffers or when someone’s beloved pet dies? Broken hearts are what give us strength understanding and compassion. I still try to hide my emotions. I should not. I can and must let go and allow myself to be more human. A heart not broken will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am blessed to have my youthful laughs and happiness etched into the the deep wrinkles on my face. Too many have never laughed enough and died before their hair could turn grey like mine … the bits of hair that I still have.
I don’t question myself anymore. I have earned the right to be wrong. I am a survivor. I have lived a long and wonderful life. I do not have the time to reflect on things with bitterness. Regrets yes. But I do not dwell on these.
I don’t have time and don’t like the hurt. Being old has set me free. I like me. I like the person I have become. I’m not going to live forever but while I’m here I will not waste my time on what could have been or what will be.
According to the TV ads Oprah eats bread every day. OK. If I feel like it I will eat desserts every day — even though I shouldn’t.
Haliburton seniors: Be grateful about growing old. There is only one way to stop it and I’m not ready yet.