Goodbye, Sixties

It's true - this is the last day I will spend in my 60s; tomorrow marks the Big 7-0 for me.

Frankly, it seems weird that I'm having my 70th birthday. Not because I am denying my age - would I be writing this post if that were the case? It's just because it always seemed like a number that was so far in the future. 

But, I have full expectations that I will wake up tomorrow to a new decade of my life, and as there is nothing I can do about it, I'm just gonna see what it brings.

Here are just some of the things I've been thinking about, related to turning 70 years old, in no particular order.

1. I have outlived both of my parents. My father died at the age of 53, and my mother died at the age of 69 years and 7 months. 

2. I have survived several bouts of, and types of, cancer. 

3. I have been married to the same person for 48 years as of this coming October. 

4. I never graduated from high school, but I have a master's degree.

5. I have only gotten more liberal as I've gotten older, unlike what you are "supposed" to do. If the general feeling is that as you age, you become more conservative, I can't guess what viewpoints I must have at birth! 

6. I am fortunate to have good health. Not that I'm in great shape, but I can still do all of the things that I have to do and want to do, for the most part. Maybe slower, maybe with more creakiness, maybe with a bit of difficulty, but I am fortunate that I can still take care of myself and enjoy my life.

7. Though I am not by any means a tech-savvy person, I am able to use technology for things that I must use it for, and enjoy it for the things I actually want to use it for. 

8. I am, for the most part, a happy person. I suffer from a base level of depression and anxiety, but most of the time, they do not affect or define every minute of my life. 

9. I have an extended family that are a wonderful group of people, who I love to spend time with when I have the chance.

10. My love of animals has only increased as I've gotten older. Of course, my own sweethearts mean more than I can say, but I love helping animals through my volunteer work, and in any other way that I am able to do so. Even just feeding the birds in the garden fills me with joy.

I always say this, but turning 70 years old tomorrow is definitely better than the alternative. So I hope that this coming weekend, you will take a moment to be happy to be here, and to have your life, even if it's not perfect or exactly what you might like it to be. Let's face it, sometimes (especially lately) life and the world suck, but since "Hope is the thing with feathers," we can always look for it to take flight and allow us to have some joy.

Older me will see you next week.😄