Finding The Place You Should Be

I wasn't sure what I was going to write about today but it just spilled out of me and by the time I had finished, I knew it belonged in my 'Growing Old Gracefully' category.

In each phase of our lives we have certain things to let us know that we are where we should be.

Sometimes things make us know we AREN"T where we should be but that's another story!!

Right now, in my 80s, I am happy where I am. Life has slowed down for me. I have to pick and choose where I want my energy spent. Lord knows there's so much less of that now so I have to be careful with it. Like spending money. You don't want to waste a bit of it. 

When I moved into The Commons 2 1/2 years ago... Yes, it was that long ago... I felt that I had found the perfect place for me. I still feel that way.

 I am fortunate to have found a place that is an independent-living  apartment but one with amenities. Like no one under 55 can live here. That means peace and quiet (well, most of the time, sometimes these oldsters can get a bit noisy). It means forming strong friendships, looking out for one another.

 And, the staff provides us with those 'amenities' I was talking about. 

There's a once a week trip on the Commons van to a variety of grocery stores. There's the games they provide, the covered dish dinners they oversee and occassionally they throw in makings of a cookout or an ice cream social. 

Several months ago they started taking us out for lunch. We are 'The Lunch Bunch' and we go once a month. They keep the destination a secret so we have a great time figuring out where we are going. This week we went to Carrabbas Italian Restaurant. I'd never been before so it was a real treat. The people there were so nice. The manager even came over and kidded around with us awhile.

One of the pleasures and pluses of growing old is that you get to make these choices in life, choices that put you where you should be. I know so many older people who just sit down and stare at the tv for hours on end. Just look at what they are missing in life. I can't do that. I hope you can't either!!