Day 349

4/30/23Day 349 "Walking With Goldens"

On my "Sammy Walks", we have been running into this strange Golden each and every day! Sam runs up to the glass doors, does a play bow, barks, wags his tail and retreats. This is the same reaction at every encounter! Poor baby!

I, too, have had a few interactions like my Sammy's. For starters, the view I have of the world and the reciprocal view looking back at me, is not really based on reality. On the inside, I feel somewhere between 29 and 40, from where I stand. That is honestly the way I picture myself each and every day. It tends to be a shock when I find myself in front of an unplanned, uninvited mirror. Like Sam, I don't really recognize that person!

Perhaps I am in a time warp because of the years (generally my 30's) I spent in that phase of life. My children were my focus and I felt quite confident at my job. Everyone was healthy, life's issues were easily handled and my knees still worked! I had also reached a level of maturity where I could make disciplined decisions, lean more into my empathy traits and have energy to spare. In addition, it was during those years where I found myself at the University of Minnesota as a student and TA for various professors. I became comfortable with myself and didn't worry about appearances. Good-bye make-up, dresses, uncomfortable shoes and anything else that tried to camouflage the real me.

Fast forward to the 68th year of my life. I wouldn't choose to go back to the 4th decade of my life, but I still find my perception of self to be somewhat frozen there. Even though my existence has drastically changed, my mind still "feels" about 40 years old...not so much my physical self! That is when the discrepancy of illusion vs reality hits me with a powerful realization. Passing an unplanned mirror, walking up the stairs, getting down on the floor with the pups and other mundane, daily tasks assure me that I have left those physical years in the rearview mirror!

The part of all this awareness that leaves me with a smile is that, although my physical self has gotten older, my essence has stayed young. Finding joy is not simply for those without senior discounts! It is offered to anyone, at any age, if you simply "tweak" the requirements and tone down the physicality of life.

The next time Sammy approaches that strange dog, I am going to walk up and check on my own refection. Although I realize that I will see an older version than expected, I hope I will also behold a person full of joy and anticipation for life.

Reflections, after all, are only that..."mirror images" of what people see. Delve into the inner self and joy will bloom.

I may also choose to stay away from mirrors!!!Day 349 "Walking With Goldens"

On my "Sammy Walks", we have been running into this strange Golden each and every day! Sam runs up to the glass doors, does a play bow, barks, wags his tail and retreats. This is the same reaction at every encounter! Poor baby!

I, too, have had a few interactions like my Sammy's. For starters, the view I have of the world and the reciprocal view looking back at me, is not really based on reality. On the inside, I feel somewhere between 29 and 40, from where I stand. That is honestly the way I picture myself each and every day. It tends to be a shock when I find myself in front of an unplanned, uninvited mirror. Like Sam, I don't really recognize that person!

Perhaps I am in a time warp because of the years (generally my 30's) I spent in that phase of life. My children were my focus and I felt quite confident at my job. Everyone was healthy, life's issues were easily handled and my knees still worked! I had also reached a level of maturity where I could make disciplined decisions, lean more into my empathy traits and have energy to spare. In addition, it was during those years where I found myself at the University of Minnesota as a student and TA for various professors. I became comfortable with myself and didn't worry about appearances. Good-bye make-up, dresses, uncomfortable shoes and anything else that tried to camouflage the real me.

Fast forward to the 68th year of my life. I wouldn't choose to go back to the 4th decade of my life, but I still find my perception of self to be somewhat frozen there. Even though my existence has drastically changed, my mind still "feels" about 40 years old...not so much my physical self! That is when the discrepancy of illusion vs reality hits me with a powerful realization. Passing an unplanned mirror, walking up the stairs, getting down on the floor with the pups and other mundane, daily tasks assure me that I have left those physical years in the rearview mirror!

The part of all this awareness that leaves me with a smile is that, although my physical self has gotten older, my essence has stayed young. Finding joy is not simply for those without senior discounts! It is offered to anyone, at any age, if you simply "tweak" the requirements and tone down the physicality of life.

The next time Sammy approaches that strange dog, I am going to walk up and check on my own refection. Although I realize that I will see an older version than expected, I hope I will also behold a person full of joy and anticipation for life.

Reflections, after all, are only that..."mirror images" of what people see. Delve into the inner self and joy will bloom.

I may also choose to stay away from mirrors!!!