Coping Strategies

I have adopted a particular coping strategy that is working for me these days. It has to do with aches and pains, hot flashes, panic attacks and all those uncontrollable parts of getting older that can take the wind right out of ones sails.

I have decided to think of these parts of life as simply motivating. Since we were young, we have all learned that life is fairly brief and that we will all die one day. While it is perfectly lovely to live in denial as long as possible, those aches and pains and hot flashes and panic attacks all remind us that something is happening and we are closer today than when we were young, to the end of our lives. Now, I know I've already lost some of you who really would prefer to enjoy the denial as long as possible and not think about it at all. My reasoning is this. I love having that little nudge that compels me to do today what is most important. To say the things that are most important, to love deeply, to finish what matters most. To BE fully here today, knowing that I can't be fully here forever.

While in that season of life when there are very frequent reminders that life won't always be what life has always been....I notice that the daffodils still bloom. They aren't the same ones that bloomed 100 years ago...but they certainly resemble them. I'm grateful for the little reminders that planting daffodils this year is a lovely way to say, "I love you" to tomorrow's children. There are so many things that I wouldn't take the time to do if I believed I would live forever. I find mortality to be very motivating that way.