One week ago, I celebrated
my 54th birthday. I commented on Facebook that I’d been raised by a
mother who was always comfortable saying how old she was, and that, as a result,
I’d become equally comfortable doing so. I said that, to me, age was just another
biographical detail. I really do believe that your age is not what limits you,
in life – if you’re passionate about something, you could continue with it well
into your old age; more than that, you could even start a new pursuit, later in
life.
I have about half an hour to
blog, before doing my chores and school work. I really want to post a short
piece on three of the new things in my life, since the beginning of this year.
Firstly, I started a regular
solo gig at a local restaurant on 31 January, causing a permanent smile in my
heart. I play my guitar and sing for three hours at every gig, and I love it. Getting the
phone call from the owner, years after we’d met, reminded me that we actually
do possess the power to attract things that give our lives meaning and magic,
simply by contemplating them - fervently and persistently. Basically, don’t give up on what makes you
happy. Often, the timing can be frustrating, but just don’t give up – it will come your way.
Secondly, I started to teach
across two campuses in April, something which brought a whole new set of
challenges, some easier to negotiate my way around than others. Let’s just
leave it at that. We’re almost at the end of the academic year, I have no idea
what next year has in store for me, but ja…! Life goes on. Many lessons learnt.
And thirdly, I started
dancing on 1 May, setting myself a 100-day exercise challenge. On this blog site,
you’ll find quite a few posts written during those 100 days. Now, almost
halfway through my 2nd 100 days, I can proudly say that dancing has
become a regular part of my life. I started off struggling to complete my
20-minute workouts, and I’ve built up my fitness and endurance to sessions of at
least 40 minutes. My goal is 60 minutes, after which I want to join a dance
school/studio.
Dancing has reminded me who
I am, and I love it. I am living proof that, when you do a form of exercise you
love, it’s an absolute pleasure. I dance every second night, at home, to music
of my choice, and I have total freedom to move as I like, without inhibition.
I’ve also come to appreciate that dancing is so much more than just a form of
exercise. I dance when I’m happy, and I become happier. I dance when I’m agitated,
and I become calm. I dance when my heart wants to break, and I find healing.
It is something I’d
recommend to anyone who feels like doing something to snap out of their inactivity.
At the end of my workout, I play a slow tune, and I use it to cool down; it is
such a profoundly moving piece of music (Keith Jarrett playing Some Other Time
– live), that it’s become a mini-meditation for me.
At age 54, I feel like I’m steadily
locating the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that make up my ideal life. I know for sure that most of
my aspirations are not what people usually equate with success. For example,
I’m more interested in making a difference in post-apartheid South Africa than
I am in owning a big, shiny car. While I do need a car, my criteria have nothing
to do with other people’s expectations.
I know how to process life’s
events - the exciting ones and the horrible ones - and I know what my boundaries are. I’ve come to terms
with the fact that sometimes we have to spend a few years doing something that
doesn’t make our souls sing, in order to feed our families, but that, as long
as we live with self-knowledge, and stay in touch with our passions, the wheel
has to turn; it’s just a matter of time before you’ll be where you want to be.
For now, that’s it. I’ve gone
5 minutes over time. Oh, that’s another thing – in my quest to have better
boundaries, I’m working hard at better time management. Also, I’m getting to
bed earlier, these days. AND…. I’m reading a lot more, this year! Yes!
One morning this week, I was fascinated by a magical solar eclipse.
