One of the great joys of aging is opening to new experiences.
So often,
When we were younger,
We'd have the fear of failure or the dulling rhythm of routine.
Hold us back.
Gone now are the days when we fear to look foolish.
What lies ahead,
If we are willing to be open,
Are new experiences,
New things to try.
New ways of being to step into.
New people to meet.
This is,
Without a doubt,
One of the great joys of aging.
A friend in his 60s discovered his love for photography again.
He bought a small camera and began to walk around his neighborhood,
Along the harbor in our town and through the wooded parks.
The camera piqued his interest in just seeing things.
In time,
He realized that the photos he was taking that he was most interested in focused on the smallest details,
The tiniest patterns of moss,
The stippled reflections of boats on water,
The rust on a fire hydrant.
In time he joined a local artist guild and met others who were interested in creativity for its own sake.
Not to reach some level of success,
Not to sell their work for a certain sum,
But to experience the act of creativity in the community of others.
As we age and as we let the fears and ambitions of our youth fade,
So too may we grow into a new spaciousness,
A wide plane of comfort and curiosity.
Here we can open ourselves to new experiences in a way we might have not had time for or temperament when we were younger.
Such luxury to be free and safe and open.
If these ideas resonate with you or intrigue you,
I hope you'll take a few moments today to look about you and give thanks for the opportunities you've opened yourself to and for those that await.
