(and a Good Story)
I’m still here enjoying life, though each passing year brings me a little closer to “officially old.” Well, DAH! I turned 75 this year, but honestly, I don’t feel old. In my personal opinion, if you maintain your health and stay somewhat active, there’s no reason to feel old at any age. I plan to keep doing the things I love for as long as I possibly can. My neuropathy means crocheting projects will take longer to complete from now on, but I’ll simply have to cultivate more patience. You’ve likely heard the saying, “You don’t give up the things you love because you get old; you get old because you give up the things you love doing.” It’s a sentiment I truly believe.
It would be lovely to have my younger body back again, but alas, that’s not going to happen. I’m profoundly grateful that my memory hasn’t failed me yet—though I suppose that could change in the years ahead—and as far as I know, I’m still great company to those around me. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful, caring husband for almost 53 years now, and three awesome sons with their own growing families. It is profoundly true that growing old is a privilege, so we might as well embrace it. In fact, we never know when we’re going to find ourselves thinking, “This is the best time of my life.” While the future for us who are 70+ naturally becomes limited in one way or another, the key is to focus on what truly matters. For me, that meant ending “dream time”—no more saying, “One day I’ll get to that.” That mindset shifted dramatically when I turned 70. I buckled down, and in my so-called spare time over the following two years, I wrote and rewrote thirty short stories, which were published on Amazon in my first book last October.
Our later years can indeed be a truly great time, and here’s why. We gain freedom from the 9-to-5 workplace grind, freedom from the constant responsibility of childcare, and freedom from many financial worries and other demands we faced when we were younger. With more free time, we can wholeheartedly pursue hobbies, interests, and activities we never seemed to have time for before. But most importantly, we can now spend even more cherished time with our loved ones. Embrace these advancing years that some of us are blessed to experience. Cherish every moment and make the most of this amazing gift of life that God has given us. While some individuals may certainly experience significant health challenges, and individual experiences vary, for many—including myself—being in the 70+ group is a time of contentment, reflection, and a continued enjoyment of life with our families. With a positive attitude, I feel strongly that our later years, often called our senior years, can truly be the best time of our lives.
That my friends is Marilyn’s heartfelt look at embracing 75. What has been your most surprising or rewarding experience of getting older? Or perhaps you have a story about how your perspective on growing older has changed over time? Please share your reflections with our Canadian Senior Moment family in the comment section below.
Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Marilyn and Bill met and married in 1972. Having raised 3 boys and accumulated a respectable number of grand-children and great-grand-children, she wrote her first book and published it in 2024. A collection of short stories titled The Kendricks of Glasgow Junction. She is contributing short stories about growing up in Nova Scotia to this website and will be publishing a collection of them in the near future.