Every now and again peace descends upon me. Maybe it is after supper, the day is mostly done, all that remains is a soft, slow evening sitting in my recliner watching TV. The dog is near; Rocky is relaxing in his chair or on the sofa, and the TV is spewing harmless programming like BBC, Wheel of Fortune, and whatnot.
A glow settles around me. I feel it. Almost see it. Warmth embraces. Peaceful images and feelings dwell within.
Such times are gold. I can feel the cushions resisting my body’s weight. Relaxation oozes its presence.
All is well with the world.
Mind you this does not happen with the news blaring from the TV. No; not at all. Much better to turn off news programs, switch to something banal. Allow the peace to come. Intentional.
The dog will need walking at 8 pm. A quick pee and then back to her bed. Soon after, I have a quick pee, take my pills, and fall into bed. We are creatures of this earth and must do the necessaries. In that we are all the same.
The mattress pushes back against tired muscles and stiff bone joints. The neck; lower back; cantankerous knees; even the damn ankles and feet. In minutes all are grateful. They too, find peace.
Soon it is 5 am. Arise and find the phone, turn off the oxygen thingy, do the bathroom necessary, scan the phone and then more pills. Turn on computer, make coffee, and begin the computer day. The blog dashboard to see the latest activity; then pull today’s copy forward, copy to the blog draft and edit. Satisfied? Press ‘publish.’ Copy to Facebook and then done with that task.
On to a scan of Facebook activity, then to the Internet news feeds for a scan of the world and its hot spots. Afterward, scan webpages with think pieces. Read as many as possible. Finally, clean up the coffee mess and the kitchen, clean the dog dishes, and set out fresh water and breakfast for the pooch. A dog walk follows, then my own shower and dressing for the day. It is now 7:45 am.
By 8:15 I’m ready for the rest of the day. Meetings, breakfast with friends, blog writing, email traffic for SCORE and family and friends. If done by 10 am, it’s time for a nap. Then a dog walk at 11.
By noon it is time for lunch snacks and playing DVR recordings of Trevor Noah and Stephen Colbert. We laugh at the world and its zany politicos. We find perspective and release from the tensions of the day. And then we nap again.
The afternoon carries another dog walk at 4 pm, meetings, more internet musings, and then supper. If successfully embraced, the evening embrace of peace descends.
And the circle has been completed.
Now you know. The daily routine of a retired 76-year-old bloke. The only changes are the meetings, the people and the tasks encountered. All interesting. All life changing. All worthwhile.
Life does begin at 65. And 70. And 75. And whenever time is granted to us to savor the sweetness of life. If you are not yet there, know that it will come.
September 9, 2019
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