Every weekend Jeremy and I meet my sister and her family over at my parents house which is tucked away on a small lake. Now that it's spring we spend our entire day fishing, putting together a jigsaw puzzle, or chatting out on one of the 6 decks, laying in the hammock or reading in the custom-built treehouse. When we become restless we make a run to Starbucks for a venti iced green tea. This weekend we did just that. When Tara, Jeremy and I piled into her new Subaru the radio automatically found her iPhone via bluetooth and started playing Alphaville's 1984 hit "Forever Young" (yeah, I totally thought it was a Rod Stewart song too).
Forever young / I want to be forever young / Do you really want to live forever, forever / Forever young
In that moment everything began to move in slow motion. I could hear the traffic, the birds and the 80s synth with clarity. I could feel the sun on my skin and the cool air passing over my arm out the window. I could smell the new car leather and the Bradford pears in bloom. I took a sip of my ice cold green tea and felt the condensation of the cup on my fingertips. I could feel my heart beating in my chest and I became hyper aware of my own mortality. Life is too short. I don't want to get old. I don't want to die.
I want to be forever young.
So I started brainstorming ways to stay forever young:
• Eat real food. I've learned that eating well takes constant evaluation and adjustments. Right now I'm mostly paleo but struggle to steer clear of sugar and alcohol.
• Move my body. I want to be the 80 year old lady doing yoga. Those habits start now.
• Keep learning. I wish I had more time to read everything I want to know about.
• Stay open to change. Whether it's new technology or new careers. The ability to maneuver around change and uncertainty will surely keep me young.
• Maintain a sense of style. My sister and I have a pact to keep each other in check when it comes to staying stylish as we age. The Sartorialist keeps me inspired.
• Try new things. Travel, adventure, or simply taking a different walking route. Big or small, variety is the spice of life, eh?
• Have (or be around) kids. This was my mom's response to my forever young freak out this Saturday. I don't believe you have to have kids to stay forever young, but I will admit that watching my nephews grow up and experience the world allows me to vicariously see things for the first time all over again.
• Do it. I'll know I'm getting old when I stop getting it on.
• Stay present. Living each moment with purpose keeps the freaking out at bay.
• Stay hydrated. Drink water and moisturize. I'm also told to stay out of the sun but the sun makes me feel alive.
What do you do to stay forever young? Let me know in the comments.
That song always gets me too.
ReplyDeleteI drink loads of water, wear sunblock and take too many photos. I'm intend on still doing the above but I have an 8-month old now and well, he ain't making me feel young. I'm 36 and my arm has tendonitis because he's heavy but I do love rediscovering everything all over again with him.
Sounds like a great plan. Yeah, I need to start exercising and focus on eating healthy for my actual healthy, and not just for weight. Thanks for the inspiration!
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Jess
For me it's all about travel and adventure. Hiked the Inca Trail in Peru last summer, and we had 6 middle-aged to older men in our group who were awesome. I always thought I had to get all of my adventure-travels in while still young, but they made me rethink that. One man, at 72 years, was particularly impressive. He said he goes hiking almost weekly. I just hope I can do that at 72.
ReplyDeleteSo funny. I feel like my children AGE me. They wear me out in a way that makes me feel old and tired like never before :).
ReplyDeleteI play in the woods, get muddy, and have dance parties with my kids on the daily...
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