How does it feel to be 71 years old today?

One thing I like about this blog is that I can write whatever I feel whenever I feel it and today I feel great because I lived to see another day. I give thanks to God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me all these years and have much to celebrate. I am one of the babies of the class of 1958 which makes the rest of you classmates sooooo much older.  LOL I am thankful that I have not suffered from any serious illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, etc.; I am not overweight nor suffering from depression or being alone. The osteoporosis and arthritis that has attacked my body is bearable and I can still strum my bass guitar and type on my computer despite the tightness in my fingers. Plus Epson Salts in my nightly bubble baths comforts my slim brown body. Yep, I have a few gray hairs sprouting in my short hair but not too many wrinkles emerging on my face. I guess what my Jamaican friend told me years ago that “black don’t crack” actually applies to people of color.  I truly could pass for age 60 and give thanks that I don’t look or act my age.

Despite having cataracts removed years ago, I still have to rely upon reading glasses and try to avoid driving at night. Guess what?  I still have my own teeth and may be able to avoid dentures totally. There are bouts of incontinence but that’s what sanitary pads are for. I have not reached that stage yet where I have to depend upon DEPENDS to counter this dilemma. The major fear I face during my golden years is developing dementia and I am making a concerted effort to keep my brain active through my book writing and maintaining my blogs. Got to use it or I may lose it!

I give thanks for having a modest home where I am surrounded by all the necessary comforts I need to live in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. Even though I live from payday to payday, I am blessed to have enough to meet all my needs and every now and then treat myself to something special. On my last birthday, I went to Lowes and bought myself a 17” commode so I could avoid all the trouble I had getting up after each use--one of the best gifts I ever gave myself. This year I don’t need anything special and will concentrate on visiting my 92 year old mother in the nursing home and help her to do Christmas arts and crafts. We had a pleasant visit together a few days ago…she is very frail but hanging in there as best she can. I love my dear Mother, who has always been there to love and support me. I am who I am because of her. I will spend my birthday with her today.

I count my blessings for the love I receive from my daughter, Chantay, who keeps in constant contact with me and is always there when I need her. I give thanks to my cousins, Yma and Willie, who check on me often to make sure I am doing OK. Despite being single, living alone, and no grandchildren, I have the loving comfort of my two puppy dogs, Coco and Halee, who I enjoy caring for and receiving their everyday love that no human being has ever given me.

 

 

 

 

 

So at age young age of 71, I give thanks to the Lord above and will continue to abide by the following devotions:

• Life is precious and we need to enjoy it to its fullest while we are able. We tend to get so wrapped up in all that we would like to have or do that we forget to enjoy what we have now. People grow old, children grow up, houses decay, and cars fall apart. In other words, life goes on, time is always moving forward. Take the time to enjoy what you have. 
• A higher faith is placing your trust in someone you can’t see, believing what you hear or read about him. I have never seen Jesus of the Bible, but I know He lived and died for me.  I see and feel God working in all areas of my life.
• Have a Good Day - The good news is that you can choose to have a good day, at any point during the day. When you think of having a good day, your attitude changes and you begin to feel like it is going to be a good day. And when the day is over you can look back and see that it was.
• When I feel stagnant and dry, I realize that I need to start growing again! One way to start growing is to feed your mind with good thoughts and encouraging words. Do something that is different. We tend to get into ruts that cause us to do the same things over and over. Do not be afraid of change. Let change challenge you to grow.
• Look Ahead - Many of us look to the past and live there instead of looking to and living in the present. When we dwell on past failures we are setting ourselves up to fail again. When we learn from our past and begin to look ahead, we are preparing ourselves to succeed. Our past experiences should be our teacher not our leader. The future looks good to those who know that the past is past and can only control them if they let it.
• The person who builds up his/her spirit will find strength to accomplish any goal they set. The Bible (Neh. 10:8) tells us "the joy of the Lord is your strength". Build up your body and have strength for a little while; build up your spirit and have strength for all of life’s struggles.
• Be Yourself - So many people try to be someone they're not, often because they're not happy with who they perceive themselves to be. One way to overcome this is to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are someone special, that you are the right person for whatever you are doing, and that you deserve the rewards in life you get. Be yourself. Let people see you as you are: a very special person. After all, there is no one else like you in the world. You will notice that I am very open about my gayness in my writings on my blogs, and in my eBooks. I simply want to stress that at age 71, I could care less about who knows this fact. Your option = accept me or reject me!  I am who I am and my life continues to move gaily forward with God as my guide and savior.

I am looking forward to my 72nd birthday and live daily embracing life while facing the inevitable—death. Life is good! God is good!  Thank you to all who took the time to wish me a happy birthday…it is greatly appreciated. Have a good day!