"This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Yes, today is a day for rejoicing for sure as our beautiful niece, Katie will don her wedding gown and be wed to the love her life, Adam at 12 noon. Yes, a day for celebrating as our friends, The Carter Family travel to VSU to witness their daughter, Kat walk across the stage in her cap and gown.
Yes, today is August 1, 2009 and as promised, I am resuming my 50 something woman blog here and now. The longer I live, (and that would be a total of 18,615 days as of this day) the more I have realized what a gift LIFE is.
To quote Lily, a follower of this blog, in a comment on 6/6/09:
"I think the greatest thing about this age is the realization of time. Some of us, if we're lucky, finally have the time to do the things we put off because of our children and other responsibilities. Mostly, I appreciate the limited aspect in a way I never did before crossing that half-century mark.
IT MAKES ONE MAKE TIME."
Thanks, Lily, and I agree!
So, as we continue on this life adventure, to restate my purpose behind this blog:
LET US GROW AS WOMEN AS WE ENCOURAGE OUR DAUGHTERS, OUR NIECES, AND ALL OF OUR YOUNG LADY FRIENDS COMING ALONG BEHIND US TO DO THE SAME.
LET THE PILGRIMAGE CONTINUE...
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
TAKING A BREAK
When I wake up in the morning as a 50 something woman, I do not always know what my next blog will be about.
The main reason for this, is like you, and every other human being on this earth, I never know what a new day might bring.
Kahil Gibran, in one of my favorite books; The Prophet (copyright 1923), said:
" Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
I have taken such pleasure in writing this blog! Thanks to each one of you, my readers, my friends. Gibran's quote brings to mind to me personally that it is time to let my mind rest as I look to the future of this writing. My desire is that this will be purposeful, so I will be considering how to bring that about.
On April 8, 2009 life brought to me this blog and I have so enjoyed exploring this season in our lives.
As I shared with my sister, Laura Lea, weeks ago, I never press myself to "think of" a subject to post. I consciously live out my day and then go to my laptop when I feel like it.
Today, I have decided to take a break from my 50 something woman blog. I plan to resume this blog on August 1, 2009.
I hope you will mark your calendar to rejoin me at that time as we continue on this journey of taking care of ourselves and growing as women, as we encourage our daughters, nieces, and all of our young lady friends coming along behind us to do the same!
In the meantime, enjoy your days, your moments, your life! And remember:
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time." ~John Lubbock~
The main reason for this, is like you, and every other human being on this earth, I never know what a new day might bring.
Kahil Gibran, in one of my favorite books; The Prophet (copyright 1923), said:
" Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
I have taken such pleasure in writing this blog! Thanks to each one of you, my readers, my friends. Gibran's quote brings to mind to me personally that it is time to let my mind rest as I look to the future of this writing. My desire is that this will be purposeful, so I will be considering how to bring that about.
On April 8, 2009 life brought to me this blog and I have so enjoyed exploring this season in our lives.
As I shared with my sister, Laura Lea, weeks ago, I never press myself to "think of" a subject to post. I consciously live out my day and then go to my laptop when I feel like it.
Today, I have decided to take a break from my 50 something woman blog. I plan to resume this blog on August 1, 2009.
I hope you will mark your calendar to rejoin me at that time as we continue on this journey of taking care of ourselves and growing as women, as we encourage our daughters, nieces, and all of our young lady friends coming along behind us to do the same!
In the meantime, enjoy your days, your moments, your life! And remember:
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time." ~John Lubbock~
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
YESTERDAY; BUT A DREAM
It's a new day...the sunrise is spectacular as I type on our back porch. I am chilly, yes, chilly, sitting here in my workout clothes because the current temperature is only 62 degrees...It is difficult to believe that in just a couple of short hours, we will be back into the nineties, the dog days of summer.
Did you see how blue the sky was yesterday? It truly was that North Carolina/Colorado hue!
Did you get outside in nature yesterday? My early morning mountain hike with my girlfriend of more than 20 years gave us a great chance to look in on each other's lives and work out at the same time. Awesome!
Did you go to your place of employment with new energy after the weekend and carry a positive attitude, which we all by now know can be very contagious?
Did you help someone in need yesterday? I had the opportunity to meet Melanie, a homeless woman in our community and help her out a little bit. She is addicted to meth and we talked a lot about her disease and how it had driven her down in her 30 years of life. I am hoping that the little bit of time I spent with her will go a long way to encourage her on this new day.
Did you connect with any loved ones yesterday? That includes those that live in our homes and those that do not. I had the blessing of a long phone call with my sister, Laura Lea, an afternoon visit with my husband, and a one mile walk around the track with our Daddy, age 89, his 3rd time for the day!
Did you stop for a moment and utter the words: "Thank You", to the One who made us? As a 50 something woman, that has become my most frequent, through-out my day, prayer.
Now that I am in my fifties, the list of loved ones that never made it to their 50th birthday has grown longer. There is my high school friend, Kathleen, a co-worker and friend, Debbie L., a best friend, Jil, our son's 1st grade Sunday School Teacher, Julie R., our Pediatrician, age 38, at the time of his passing, Dr. E. Umpierre, a dear friend's 40 year old husband, Doug, our nephew, age 25, Brad, just to name a few. As I consider each one, with fondness, it causes me to "take pause", remembering that every day matters.
Just this past week, a local mother, Jeanette Prather, age 50 and her son, Matthew, age 15 perished in a family car accident just south of Atlanta.
Mrs. Prather's husband and 18 year old son, Stephen survived the crash. While we do not know this family personally, we know that they live just a short distance from our home and we mourn along with them. As I read about Mrs. Prather in the paper, it was easy to see that she understood the importance of making her days count. "Jeanette was a loving wife and mother and a loyal friend. She was part of the Outreach Ministry in her church. Jeanette had recently earned her Master's Degree in Speech Pathology so that she could help children with speech difficulties." And in reading about 15 year old, Matthew in the news, it became clear that his parents had already passed the baton of purposeful living onto their sons: "Matthew had a real heart for missions in Africa. In fact, he was scheduled to leave on July 4th for a one month trip to serve the children there."
There is a favorite quote of mine that comes from The Sanskrit, a historical Indo-Aryan Language:
"Yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow is only a vision. But today, well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore to this day, for it is life, the very life of life."
Did you see how blue the sky was yesterday? It truly was that North Carolina/Colorado hue!
Did you get outside in nature yesterday? My early morning mountain hike with my girlfriend of more than 20 years gave us a great chance to look in on each other's lives and work out at the same time. Awesome!
Did you go to your place of employment with new energy after the weekend and carry a positive attitude, which we all by now know can be very contagious?
Did you help someone in need yesterday? I had the opportunity to meet Melanie, a homeless woman in our community and help her out a little bit. She is addicted to meth and we talked a lot about her disease and how it had driven her down in her 30 years of life. I am hoping that the little bit of time I spent with her will go a long way to encourage her on this new day.
Did you connect with any loved ones yesterday? That includes those that live in our homes and those that do not. I had the blessing of a long phone call with my sister, Laura Lea, an afternoon visit with my husband, and a one mile walk around the track with our Daddy, age 89, his 3rd time for the day!
Did you stop for a moment and utter the words: "Thank You", to the One who made us? As a 50 something woman, that has become my most frequent, through-out my day, prayer.
Now that I am in my fifties, the list of loved ones that never made it to their 50th birthday has grown longer. There is my high school friend, Kathleen, a co-worker and friend, Debbie L., a best friend, Jil, our son's 1st grade Sunday School Teacher, Julie R., our Pediatrician, age 38, at the time of his passing, Dr. E. Umpierre, a dear friend's 40 year old husband, Doug, our nephew, age 25, Brad, just to name a few. As I consider each one, with fondness, it causes me to "take pause", remembering that every day matters.
Just this past week, a local mother, Jeanette Prather, age 50 and her son, Matthew, age 15 perished in a family car accident just south of Atlanta.
Mrs. Prather's husband and 18 year old son, Stephen survived the crash. While we do not know this family personally, we know that they live just a short distance from our home and we mourn along with them. As I read about Mrs. Prather in the paper, it was easy to see that she understood the importance of making her days count. "Jeanette was a loving wife and mother and a loyal friend. She was part of the Outreach Ministry in her church. Jeanette had recently earned her Master's Degree in Speech Pathology so that she could help children with speech difficulties." And in reading about 15 year old, Matthew in the news, it became clear that his parents had already passed the baton of purposeful living onto their sons: "Matthew had a real heart for missions in Africa. In fact, he was scheduled to leave on July 4th for a one month trip to serve the children there."
There is a favorite quote of mine that comes from The Sanskrit, a historical Indo-Aryan Language:
"Yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow is only a vision. But today, well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore to this day, for it is life, the very life of life."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
NO EXPIRATION DATE
Last night, my husband and I enjoyed homemade apple cobbler with spray whipped cream. Unfortunately we were out of vanilla ice cream which eliminated the chance for ala mode! This after dinner delicacy was actually so good that I decided to surprise our son with the same treat. He was holed up in his room, so I went ahead and fixed this dessert without even asking him if he wanted it.
When I had it all ready, with whipped cream, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar, and 3 musketeers chocolate syrup, I called him down.
He was very pleased when he first arrived in the kitchen...then upon his initial observation, he asked about the date on the syrup.
I responded with the truth: "I have no idea what the date on that syrup is."
Ok, now, don't be shocked, but he decided to check the date and it was May of 2005...I am not kidding!!! ( I wish I was!) Needless to say, it went straight in the trash and he fixed himself a new dessert!
WE had some good laughs about dates on products that are in our ten year old home and how we might want to check them out a little more often and a little more carefully in the future...
Soon, our son was checking the dates on some of our other things...the milk had a good date, the yogurt was okay, too.
Later, just before retiring for the night, our son and I started talking about other "expirations", like letting too much time go by before we open the Word.
If we are not careful, we wait too long to go to the Word for the answers to the big questions that we have in our lives. Just because we do not take the time to look in that direction, does not mean the answers are not there. If we are not careful, our days go by and we do not reap the benefits and the strength that it is in the Word for each of us to grab a hold of. As 50 something women, we realize more than ever that our lives on this earth have an "expiration date". Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 reminds us: "There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season. There is a time to be born and a time to die."
So, maybe you want to go check the dates of some of the products you have in your refrigerator, and perhaps you want to take stock in the date of the last time you delved into the Word as well.
Do something today that you have been putting off because we are not promised tomorrow. Only God knows the number of our days and He's not telling us that number.
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord stands forever."
1 Peter 1:24-25
The Good News is that once we are His, considering God and His Word, there is NO EXPIRATION DATE!
When I had it all ready, with whipped cream, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar, and 3 musketeers chocolate syrup, I called him down.
He was very pleased when he first arrived in the kitchen...then upon his initial observation, he asked about the date on the syrup.
I responded with the truth: "I have no idea what the date on that syrup is."
Ok, now, don't be shocked, but he decided to check the date and it was May of 2005...I am not kidding!!! ( I wish I was!) Needless to say, it went straight in the trash and he fixed himself a new dessert!
WE had some good laughs about dates on products that are in our ten year old home and how we might want to check them out a little more often and a little more carefully in the future...
Soon, our son was checking the dates on some of our other things...the milk had a good date, the yogurt was okay, too.
Later, just before retiring for the night, our son and I started talking about other "expirations", like letting too much time go by before we open the Word.
If we are not careful, we wait too long to go to the Word for the answers to the big questions that we have in our lives. Just because we do not take the time to look in that direction, does not mean the answers are not there. If we are not careful, our days go by and we do not reap the benefits and the strength that it is in the Word for each of us to grab a hold of. As 50 something women, we realize more than ever that our lives on this earth have an "expiration date". Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 reminds us: "There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season. There is a time to be born and a time to die."
So, maybe you want to go check the dates of some of the products you have in your refrigerator, and perhaps you want to take stock in the date of the last time you delved into the Word as well.
Do something today that you have been putting off because we are not promised tomorrow. Only God knows the number of our days and He's not telling us that number.
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord stands forever."
1 Peter 1:24-25
The Good News is that once we are His, considering God and His Word, there is NO EXPIRATION DATE!
Friday, June 26, 2009
SENIOR PICTURE DAY
Our 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson passed away on July 4, 1826 at the age of 83. He recognized the importance of time spent with loved ones. "The happiest moments of my life have been those which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family."
Today is senior picture day for our son, our last born.
Through the years, occasionally I would jot down memories in a small journal for each of our children. On Tuesday, February 27, 1996, 7:30 a.m. the entry reads:
"Happy Birthday, Walker! YOU are four years old today. The weather is beautiful and spring-like. It is early in the morning and it is already 61 degrees.
You will take blue cupcakes with chocolate icing and sprinkles to preschool today. Then, this afternoon, we will take you and five of your buddies to Discovery Zone. You are very excited. More to come later! I'm so glad you were born into our family four years ago on this day. Love, Mommy"
Ironically, we passed right by his preschool on our way to his photo shoot! As I watched our son posing for his senior pictures, first with a tux on and then in casual attire with his one year old Labrador Retriever, Gracie, so many remembrances flooded in and out of my mind! Just to mention a few of these...
...His actual day of birth early in the morning in 1992 when the doctor could not get him to respond at first and the pensive expression on my husband's face as he watched. Later, we heard that the cord was partially wrapped around his neck.
The smile that broke out on all of our faces every time he would call his big sis "La La", instead of her name, Leah.
How proud he was of himself on that first day of Kindergarten in 1997 in his yellow shirt, blue plaid shorts, and sneakers.
The summer before 4th grade and his disappointment over leaving two week camp, just two days after he had arrived there. We had to go pick him up after he broke his collar bone during a wrestling skills class.
The moments that he first learned to ride a two-wheeler, delighted in a sand castle, and flew across the surf on a skimboard...just to name a few...
For the 50 something woman, memories can surface in a blink of an eye, many of which can bring such JOY and some that result in sorrow. Whichever it is, gladness or heartache, memories of those we hold dear are a gift because our remembrances are evidence that we have lived and loved.
Oscar Wilde was a writer who lived from 1854-1900. In his play, The Importance of Being Earnest, he came up with this line about memories:
"Memory...is the diary that we all carry about us." I agree.
And aren't we grateful for images that are captured on film. These photographs bring a sense of nostalgia, inspiring memories to come flooding back at a moment's notice.
Today is senior picture day for our son, our last born.
Through the years, occasionally I would jot down memories in a small journal for each of our children. On Tuesday, February 27, 1996, 7:30 a.m. the entry reads:
"Happy Birthday, Walker! YOU are four years old today. The weather is beautiful and spring-like. It is early in the morning and it is already 61 degrees.
You will take blue cupcakes with chocolate icing and sprinkles to preschool today. Then, this afternoon, we will take you and five of your buddies to Discovery Zone. You are very excited. More to come later! I'm so glad you were born into our family four years ago on this day. Love, Mommy"
Ironically, we passed right by his preschool on our way to his photo shoot! As I watched our son posing for his senior pictures, first with a tux on and then in casual attire with his one year old Labrador Retriever, Gracie, so many remembrances flooded in and out of my mind! Just to mention a few of these...
...His actual day of birth early in the morning in 1992 when the doctor could not get him to respond at first and the pensive expression on my husband's face as he watched. Later, we heard that the cord was partially wrapped around his neck.
The smile that broke out on all of our faces every time he would call his big sis "La La", instead of her name, Leah.
How proud he was of himself on that first day of Kindergarten in 1997 in his yellow shirt, blue plaid shorts, and sneakers.
The summer before 4th grade and his disappointment over leaving two week camp, just two days after he had arrived there. We had to go pick him up after he broke his collar bone during a wrestling skills class.
The moments that he first learned to ride a two-wheeler, delighted in a sand castle, and flew across the surf on a skimboard...just to name a few...
For the 50 something woman, memories can surface in a blink of an eye, many of which can bring such JOY and some that result in sorrow. Whichever it is, gladness or heartache, memories of those we hold dear are a gift because our remembrances are evidence that we have lived and loved.
Oscar Wilde was a writer who lived from 1854-1900. In his play, The Importance of Being Earnest, he came up with this line about memories:
"Memory...is the diary that we all carry about us." I agree.
And aren't we grateful for images that are captured on film. These photographs bring a sense of nostalgia, inspiring memories to come flooding back at a moment's notice.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
YOU NEVER KNOW
I have learned that one never knows what will happen when the college experience begins anew in a life...What friends will be made, what will be my area of study, will I meet the love of my life????
When I graduated from high school in Atlanta, GA, in May 1976, I chose Tennessee Tech University because I heard it was a good school and I loved the rolling hills of Tennessee. You see, most of my family, including my Dad, attended a small school in East Tennessee called Carson Newman College. Being the 5th of six children, I took many trips there to deposit my older sibs to their new residence halls in TN. I am sure I spent hours in the back seat of a wood-paneled station wagon, gazing from the car window, at the rolling hills. Thus, the start of my love affair with the bucolic rolling hills of Tennessee, and later, a decision to attend a school there in 1976.
I attended TTU for two years before transferring to University of Georgia where I did end up meeting the love of my life on a blind date...but that is another story for another day!
The experience of sorority rush, was one I was told, I did not want to miss. Even if I did not choose to pledge a particular sorority, I would have the opportunity to meet a lot of different girls as I went through the week of rush.
So, I found myself in the midst of rush in no time flat...The sisters of Alpha Delta Pi chose me and I felt most comfortable with them, so it was a fit for both of us.
This is where I met eight friends that know me through and through, & love me still!
Aside from the fact that we all went to college together, our solid tradition started after Kay's wedding in December 1978. The rest of us (not Kay because she was on her honeymoon!!!) gathered at Kelly's childhood home, in Tullahoma, TN, for a sleepover and gift exchange. We had such a grand time, we said..."We must do this again!" and we did...for the next 30 + years, never missing a year...INCREDIBLE, countless memories along the way!!!
We have alternated meeting in different homes through the years. Delo consistently brings the candy cane cookies, Kelly, the sticky buns, Deb, the homemade pound cake, Kay, the chex mix with M & Ms, Jo Ann, the chicken salad and pimento cheese, Becky, the paper goods and sliced bread, 'cause she doesn't love to cook, and Leslie, the chips, dips and other delightful snacks for the same reason! I always bring the rich creme de menthe brownies and Susan brings the white chocolate peppermint candy and the cucumber spread. What a spread and a time of fellowship we have shared through the years !
A few years ago, we, the nine of us, took a trip to New York City to commemorate our 30th reunion!
All together, we have given birth to 16 incredible children.
Our group encompasses the careers of business, finance, nursing and education.
Most importantly, we all share a common faith and we share prayer concerns from year to year...We offer prayer support to one another through each year...And yes, thanks to Becky and Debby, the only actual sisters in our group, we have matching flannel gowns, videos and photo scrapbooks to share with our families!
In reading this, perhaps you might be inclined to share this with some young woman that is in your life...help her to see that she, too, can have a similar invaluable friend experience while she is in college.
You never know...
When I graduated from high school in Atlanta, GA, in May 1976, I chose Tennessee Tech University because I heard it was a good school and I loved the rolling hills of Tennessee. You see, most of my family, including my Dad, attended a small school in East Tennessee called Carson Newman College. Being the 5th of six children, I took many trips there to deposit my older sibs to their new residence halls in TN. I am sure I spent hours in the back seat of a wood-paneled station wagon, gazing from the car window, at the rolling hills. Thus, the start of my love affair with the bucolic rolling hills of Tennessee, and later, a decision to attend a school there in 1976.
I attended TTU for two years before transferring to University of Georgia where I did end up meeting the love of my life on a blind date...but that is another story for another day!
The experience of sorority rush, was one I was told, I did not want to miss. Even if I did not choose to pledge a particular sorority, I would have the opportunity to meet a lot of different girls as I went through the week of rush.
So, I found myself in the midst of rush in no time flat...The sisters of Alpha Delta Pi chose me and I felt most comfortable with them, so it was a fit for both of us.
This is where I met eight friends that know me through and through, & love me still!
Aside from the fact that we all went to college together, our solid tradition started after Kay's wedding in December 1978. The rest of us (not Kay because she was on her honeymoon!!!) gathered at Kelly's childhood home, in Tullahoma, TN, for a sleepover and gift exchange. We had such a grand time, we said..."We must do this again!" and we did...for the next 30 + years, never missing a year...INCREDIBLE, countless memories along the way!!!
We have alternated meeting in different homes through the years. Delo consistently brings the candy cane cookies, Kelly, the sticky buns, Deb, the homemade pound cake, Kay, the chex mix with M & Ms, Jo Ann, the chicken salad and pimento cheese, Becky, the paper goods and sliced bread, 'cause she doesn't love to cook, and Leslie, the chips, dips and other delightful snacks for the same reason! I always bring the rich creme de menthe brownies and Susan brings the white chocolate peppermint candy and the cucumber spread. What a spread and a time of fellowship we have shared through the years !
A few years ago, we, the nine of us, took a trip to New York City to commemorate our 30th reunion!
All together, we have given birth to 16 incredible children.
Our group encompasses the careers of business, finance, nursing and education.
Most importantly, we all share a common faith and we share prayer concerns from year to year...We offer prayer support to one another through each year...And yes, thanks to Becky and Debby, the only actual sisters in our group, we have matching flannel gowns, videos and photo scrapbooks to share with our families!
In reading this, perhaps you might be inclined to share this with some young woman that is in your life...help her to see that she, too, can have a similar invaluable friend experience while she is in college.
You never know...
MY FRIEND, KELLY
I first met KELLY in the fall of 1976. Even though we are nearly the same age, she had somehow managed to be one year ahead of me in school, the smart girl that she is! I was beginning my freshman year in college. I was going through sorority rush without a clue about what I was doing. You see, my family had no sisterhood "legacies" to speak of. It was here at this medium-sized university, TTU, in Cookeville, Tennessee that I first met Kelly. Thankfully, Kelly and the rest of her ADPi sisters decided that I was a good fit for their group, and so began a story of friendship, of nine friends, in total, that has lasted a lifetime.
My dear friend, Kelly and I power-walked 6 miles in the North Georgia woods last Saturday.
We both are now 50 something woman who love to stay fit and we never lack for subjects to cover when we are together. We have celebrated marriages together, as we were in each other's weddings in 1982. Our wedding took place on Kelly's 24th birthday! We have attended baby showers for one another. We have watched our children grow into young men and women. We surprised each other in 2008 as we reached our 5oth birthdays! We have appreciated seeing our husbands develop a lifelong friendship. Yes, Kelly and I have reveled in a rich friendship, for sure.
We both love to cook and entertain, so we have doled out countless recipes via phone, letters, and email. We have taken pleasure in a friendship and camaraderie with seven other women for more than 30 years, a group you will read more about tomorrow!
One thing I have respected so much in my friend, Kelly is the way she has worked diligently in her nursing career for many years. Indeed, two of my FFs, Forever Friends from high school, Mary and Cindy have done the same in this identical profession. I have great respect for all that I know that work in this field, because it truly takes a unique individual to take care of and nurture the ill in our world. Kelly has worked in a variety of jobs, from a maternity nurse to a high school school nurse who counsels young pregnant teens. When the nine of us from TTU, gather for our annual reunion, Kelly always has the best stories from her experiences in caring for others.
As we walked on Saturday, Kelly told me about a friend of hers who is a 50 something woman. This friend declared to Kelly that she does not quite know what to do with herself, as her children have left and she is no longer taking care of them. This 50 something woman has not worked outside of the home for more than 20 years. And now, she is unsure of which direction to go in her life.
A multitude of my 50 something friends, like Kelly, still work countless hours outside of their homes. Many, like Kelly, are passionate about making a difference in their workplace. My FF, Jan, is another great example as she is contributing to her household by working with young disabled children. Wherever a 50 something woman might find herself, be it, full or part-time employment, volunteerism, caring for senior adults or grandchildren, enjoying a favorite sport, owning a business for the very first time, I trust that each of us will look after ourselves for a change...Like Kelly and me, put yourself on the list for that power-walk with a cherished friend...and let someone else make the pancakes just as we did this past Saturday morning.
My dear friend, Kelly and I power-walked 6 miles in the North Georgia woods last Saturday.
We both are now 50 something woman who love to stay fit and we never lack for subjects to cover when we are together. We have celebrated marriages together, as we were in each other's weddings in 1982. Our wedding took place on Kelly's 24th birthday! We have attended baby showers for one another. We have watched our children grow into young men and women. We surprised each other in 2008 as we reached our 5oth birthdays! We have appreciated seeing our husbands develop a lifelong friendship. Yes, Kelly and I have reveled in a rich friendship, for sure.
We both love to cook and entertain, so we have doled out countless recipes via phone, letters, and email. We have taken pleasure in a friendship and camaraderie with seven other women for more than 30 years, a group you will read more about tomorrow!
One thing I have respected so much in my friend, Kelly is the way she has worked diligently in her nursing career for many years. Indeed, two of my FFs, Forever Friends from high school, Mary and Cindy have done the same in this identical profession. I have great respect for all that I know that work in this field, because it truly takes a unique individual to take care of and nurture the ill in our world. Kelly has worked in a variety of jobs, from a maternity nurse to a high school school nurse who counsels young pregnant teens. When the nine of us from TTU, gather for our annual reunion, Kelly always has the best stories from her experiences in caring for others.
As we walked on Saturday, Kelly told me about a friend of hers who is a 50 something woman. This friend declared to Kelly that she does not quite know what to do with herself, as her children have left and she is no longer taking care of them. This 50 something woman has not worked outside of the home for more than 20 years. And now, she is unsure of which direction to go in her life.
A multitude of my 50 something friends, like Kelly, still work countless hours outside of their homes. Many, like Kelly, are passionate about making a difference in their workplace. My FF, Jan, is another great example as she is contributing to her household by working with young disabled children. Wherever a 50 something woman might find herself, be it, full or part-time employment, volunteerism, caring for senior adults or grandchildren, enjoying a favorite sport, owning a business for the very first time, I trust that each of us will look after ourselves for a change...Like Kelly and me, put yourself on the list for that power-walk with a cherished friend...and let someone else make the pancakes just as we did this past Saturday morning.
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