I remember how excited I got in college when gorgeous Barry Cunningham told me he thought about being with me while his girlfriend was away.
I remember how excited I got when I was offered my first real job, as an assistant editor on Where Magazine.
I remember how excited I got when I saw The Eiffel Tower for the first time.
I remember how excited I got when I made the honor society in high school.
I remember how excited I got when I closed my first sale as a publisher.
I remember how excited I got when my son was accepted to the pre-K program in a great school.
I remember how anxious I got when I was waiting to hear if I passed a final.
I remember how anxious I got when I waited for Edgar to call.
I remember how anxious I got when I had to babysit for my younger sisters.
I remember how anxious I got when I thought I was lost driving in a strange city.
I remember how anxious I got worrying whether I’d get the account.
With so much excitement and anxiety all those years, it’s no small wonder I survived without having multiple breakdowns and heart failure. If youth is defined by fast, first, many, more, loud and lively, what defines FOF?
I say it’s peacefulness, patience, calmness, simplicity, lower, longer and continuous. I want nice outcomes, but I no longer jump for joy when I get them. I don’t like unpleasant circumstances or outcomes, but my anxiety level no longer climbs into the stratosphere when they come my way.
It’s exciting not being quite so excited. And it’s pure joy not being so apoplectic.
Extremes are so childish. Thank heavens I’ve outgrown them (most of the time, anyway!)
0 Responses to “What’s all the excitement about?”
Barbara-b says:
Geri,
I think that fearlessness describes me best of all…of course I am 70. I love that all the anxiety over failure has gone away. I can fly off in a direction and be sent back with my tail between my legs. It does not let it bother me so much anymore. I have decided that the worst thing that can happen when I ask is to be answered NO. That even applies to prayer.
Best of all, I agree with you in that the extremes are gone. Life is much happier this way.
This is such an insightful post! Too many people don’t realize that one of the great benefits of turning fifty is a huge change in our reactions to life events. While we feel great happiness, the lows never seems as bad– maybe the years of experience have shown that things usually have a way of working out. This serenity, this sense of peace with others make these years some of the best times of my life. I wish that women who are afraid of growing old would somehow know that with age comes a sense of calm that youth cannot even imagine.
0 Responses to “What’s all the excitement about?”
Barbara-b says:
Geri,
I think that fearlessness describes me best of all…of course I am 70. I love that all the anxiety over failure has gone away. I can fly off in a direction and be sent back with my tail between my legs. It does not let it bother me so much anymore. I have decided that the worst thing that can happen when I ask is to be answered NO. That even applies to prayer.
Best of all, I agree with you in that the extremes are gone. Life is much happier this way.
Have a wonderful day.
Barbara-b, Guru
Barbara-b says:
I might add, what you have described is called “wisdom”. Is that wonderful!
Joanne Johnson says:
Geri — I love your post — it’s nice to meet an honest person!
Cecile says:
BRAVO Geri!!!!! ! ! ! !!!! you just pit into words EXACTLY whatI have been saying all along. You didn’t omit a comma!!!!
Great post!!
Cécile
Deb Chase says:
This is such an insightful post! Too many people don’t realize that one of the great benefits of turning fifty is a huge change in our reactions to life events. While we feel great happiness, the lows never seems as bad– maybe the years of experience have shown that things usually have a way of working out. This serenity, this sense of peace with others make these years some of the best times of my life. I wish that women who are afraid of growing old would somehow know that with age comes a sense of calm that youth cannot even imagine.