joyful2beeblogs

Recently, I realized that I have been blogging for 12 years! Wow! I’ve met so many people here, shared my blogs, and read so many blogs by others.

Writing blog posts has helped me to express things from my heart and mind. I want my blog posts to help others and help them fulfill several goals. Just like my blogs, I want to share good things with others, to help lift the loads they may carry; help them know that there are others, just like them, going through the same problems. I want others to know that there are many people who care about these people, who are suffering from loneliness, poor health, poverty, grief from losses of many kinds, hopelessness, and some just surrendering to their problems, instead of getting or trying to get help for their lives.

Over these twelve years, I discovered a lot about life. I found out that a good many people are reading my blogs and commenting. My words have actually comforted a few, helped a few, encouraged a few, suggested ways to connect with our world, its beauty, nature, weather, and even suggested some ways to help others deal with the challenges that the world throws at them sometimes.

Me about 14 years ago

There is one challenge that we all face during our lives. That is aging. When I look back on my photos I see the changes in my face from childhood to young adulthood and now into my older years, past 65. I am not afraid of dying since I know where I am going. But I do want to continue my mission of trying to make a difference in the world; to help lift up the mood or spirits of people by sharing the beauty in nature that I have captured in my photos. The joy or hope or happiness in people’s and children’s faces were also shared through photographs on my camera or phone and my blogs.

I see and hear and notice cloud formations, colors, meanings for weather, as well as the changing of the seasons and the weather that goes with them.

I actually look forward to the arrival of each season for the different ways I can enjoy them. By the end of summer, I am looking forward to changing my wardrobe from the hot weather clothes to the fall weather clothes and on and on to each season. In a way, I am kind of like a tree but in reverse. In fall when the trees lose their leaves I am getting the cold weather clothes out; In spring when the leaves are coming in on the trees, I am putting away my cold weather clothes and bringing out my hot weather clothes (or leaves if you want to see the symbolism).

I am thankful for the seasons because they have such delightful changes and yes, even challenges. But the environment never stays the same for long, so we are less likely in many parts of the United States to get bored with weather for too long. Everything changes from one part of the year, season or holiday to add to our lives an excitement of what’s coming next.

Since I am seventy-three years of age, I find myself evolving into an older and older woman. I still love my life, my family, friends, home, cat, neighbors, and all of you who have been reading my blogs. But I am beginning to think about the future more and what may happen as I get older. My health is pretty good for someone who worked thirty-seven years on her feet in hospitals, taking care of patients, and the responsibilities involved with their care.

Now at seventy-three, I think back to last year when I had a hip replacement due to some kind of erosion of the head of the hip bone. Thanks to the wonderful surgeon who implanted the hip prosthesis, I can walk well enough for some distances with a cane. Now, I am finding that my lower back has an increasing curve at the bottom of my spine called scoliosis. The discs between our vertebra cushion the bony parts of the back but may become thinned out and don’t provide the cushion needed to keep the vertebrae apart as well. I am not sure what caused the scoliosis, but I am going to be seen by a back doctor next month to see what he thinks I need to do.

I also have had pre-diabetes with a low A1C for many years. Finally, it jumped up to 6.2 so I was placed on Metformin for now. I am trying to continue to get my weight down and am avoiding the sweet foods I used to eat. Before Covid, I used to weigh 221 pounds. I am down to 168 now. I will keep working at losing more. After seeing what my husband went through, I do not want the diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, mood swings, stroke and other changes he suffered through.

I love my life and the memories that I have from it. I have learned a lot about aging adult experiences. But I have so much to be thankful for, as you can see from my previous blog posts. I loved choosing and decorating my own home in a condominium. My sons and their wives love me as I love them. The grandchildren are adorable and I look forward to watching them grow up. I enjoy my condo neighbors, who are always friendly, helpful, and polite. My life is good now and peaceful. I know that someday, there will be many changes ahead of me. But I will meet each one as it comes with the experience that I had as a nurse; the support of my family and friends; and always learning about what is going on as I get. older.