One of the perks of being older is being more comfortable with myself.
A common phrase heard in the sixties (the decade, not my age group!) had to do with "going to find myself." It was supposed to be a journey of self-discovery and the vehicle for that journey was often drugs. I didn't embark on the trip back then...naively thought I had it all together...and (fortunately) steered clear of the drugs. It wasn't until much later that I realized not only did I not have it all together, but I wasn't sure just who was the real me or if I even liked her!
So, I now find myself traveling the road of self-discovery (minus drugs) and - to use a cliche (Mom was fond of them, so it is an inherited flaw) - I am a work in progress. A product of past experiences, genetics, environment, poor choices, good decisions, personal encounters and more to come. I've filled a variety of roles over the years ~ girl, woman, daughter, mother, sister, wife, nurse, girlfriend, caregiver, employee, mother-in-law, friend, stepmother, grandmother, aunt, co-worker, student, teacher, sister-in-law, divorcee ~ and how I've performed in each role is part of who I have and will become.
I realize this is not new territory; Socrates said, at his trial for heresy in 399 B.C., "The unexamined life is not worth living." Six decades is a lot to look at, but it might aid in the process of "finding myself" and who I've come to be.
Stay tuned...
