‘I am now in the last third of my life and it’s all about me!’

Having recently heard the philosophy of dividing our lives into thirds, now that we are living much longer, generally, I realise I am now in the last third of my life! It is therefore no surprise that life has to really be all about me from now on. What does this mean?

I’ve asked myself who I am. I am a mother and wife (a very outdated term these days but as a traditionalist, at heart, the term ‘partner ‘ is too generic for me). This means that I do so relish the roles of motherhood, where I can express my love, caring and support for my offspring, in spending quality time with them, in regular contact with them and in nurturing our relationships. Likewise, I also delight in the role of and caring for my spouse, by keeping our home a sanctuary for not only our souls but also the hub of our family, the expression of all that we have worked towards and a revelation of ourselves.

Am I more than this, though? Yes, indeed there is more to come, just as there is more to life! I have other parts left unexpressed. I do so fervently want to write. I hesitate in setting out on that path but I know that I must, else I leave this world with so much unsaid or unimagined! I must partake of what’s on offer and the first of those steps will come up very soon as I become more involved in my writing, having recently joined a writer’s group and embracing wholeheartedly what I have always dreamed of doing.

I want to be in that place where exercise and healthy sleep hygiene feature as an imperative in my life, and not just an afterthought. Trivial time demands cannot be the feature of my daily focus, as in the past. The more significant needs, I mention, must become my daily focus if I am to live out the very oldest part of my life but perhaps the healthiest part of my life. I must give my ageing body a true balance finally! This will be a feat given my chronicity of several health issues but certainly not impossible, to improve their condition and maintain the balance of factors, which impinge upon them.

Are there other facets of life I would like to indulge in? Certainly, I want to read daily, and extensively, and no doubt will not live long enough to absorb or touch upon the number of books I could possibly consume. Music bathes and soothes my soul and can never be worn out, or run out of choice, for what I could possibly endure! Nature and walks along the bush trails or beaches, available in this spectacular land in which we live, will never cease to attract me like a magnet to the earth’s core.

Rest, relaxation, mindfulness and time spent in awe of my spirit and in gratitude and adoration for the life force itself, will no doubt lure me as a gossamer thread of the spider’s web catches the insect and draws it in. Gardening and delving into the depths of the dirt itself, with its grounding and magnetic pull to the very earth, amid the beauty and wonder of plants, trees and flowers draw me also. How simply and effortlessly they seem to grow, despite my sometimes, poor efforts or lack of attention, to their needs. Weather often fills the void for me, releasing its moisture, light, nourishment and gas exchange, mostly invisible to the naked eye and simply surprises me when areas of my garden thrive!

Perhaps there is more I have neglected to add to this very long list. Travel for one and there is no limit to how much of that I would love to do. Only a limit to the bank balance, the security and safety of the globe, and the frailty of the body, over time, as I will not live long enough to fit in all that my mind could desire, of the earth’s treasures. After these ponderings, I had better get busy, as there’s much yet to be lived! It’s such a shame I have spent 63 years with no clear sense of where so much was actually leading. C’est la vie!

Have you reflected on your life’s achievements and what is to come? Share your story.

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