work in progress, version 189

If Kathy were here she'd probably be shocked (and say so) that I have been swimming faithfully now for three months, walking the dogs at least twice a day, and working toward healthier eating habits (my eating habits have never been bad, I just don't like cooked vegetables!). She knew that I'm allergic to exercise and hate to sweat. No one is more surprised than me that I have shunned that confirmed status and taken to regular exercise. What's going on here?

It’s not exactly a midlife crisis, but I am aware that I am following a typical pattern of midlife usually referred to as a process of redefining oneself. Time, experience, and a belief that there is always room for improvement and growth can’t help but conspire to bring one to the point where things that used to seem important are less so, and things to which one gave little thought become more important. It’s not exactly a “stop and smell the roses” transition, but a coming to terms with the implications and consequences of missed opportunities, and the willingness to create the same.

I still don’t act quickly enough to take advantage of opportunity, or to seize moments to create them, but awareness is a beginning. Each day is a new page waiting to be written. Perhaps the place to start is deciding what color ink to use as I begin to fill the next one…