Senior-to-Senior

My first story about my granddaughter, Eva, was posted on December 20, 2017. It was one month after I started my blog. I introduced her as my “granddaughter” with an emphasis on “grand”. That’s what I thought back then, and my opinion hasn’t changed. She’s grander than ever. If you look up “beautiful” in the dictionary, you’ll find her picture. I’m not bragging. Just reporting.

I also said, “she marches to her own drummer and sometimes she’s the whole band”. That hasn’t changed either. Her older brother, Brady, was only twelve at the time but agreed with me and told me so. You remember moments like that.

The last three years, in addition to being my granddaughter, she served as my date for the member-guest tournament at the Tullymore Country Club. She was the prettiest girl in the room for three years running and I was the proudest grandfather.

She started her senior year of high school last Thursday. She graduates in May.

Last spring we toyed with the idea of starting a podcast. The title would have been Senior-to-Senior. We even did a test recording in my Florida studio last April. We planned to exchange ideas about being seniors. She’s a high school senior and I’m a plain old senior with an emphasis on old. She, like me, likes to explore life from different angles and we thought having an ongoing public conversation might appeal to some listeners. In the end we bailed on the idea. If such a podcast pops up now, I’ll tell the world that the idea originated with us.

If we had followed through, we were preparing discussion topics such as our goals for the upcoming year, senior trips, senior finances, senior dating, senior pickup lines, how to dress for success, our views on current events, and perhaps a recipe or two. Eva will be eighteen in October and I’m 78. I’d venture to say that our sixty-year difference in age includes a different point of view but, right now, we agree on a lot of things. Most importantly, we love each other.

I ran across a list of ten things that high school seniors should consider. I think it’s a pretty good list. I copied it and added my two cents.

1. Invest in a career that gives you a sense of purpose – not just money. I went into education because I liked working with kids. It helped me keep a youthful perspective on life. Hanging with my grandkids still does. I could have made more money doing something else, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed life as much as I have.

2. Take care of your body today like you will live to 100 years old – a healthy body will give you a greater chance to enjoy old age without illness or chronic disease. I fell short on this but I’m doing better now. It’s never too late to change your course but I think it’s better if you stay on the right one from the beginning.

3. Say yes to new opportunities. You’re more likely to regret a ‘no’ than a ‘yes’. This is 100% correct. I have very few regrets about things I’ve done but I do have some things I wish I had.

4. Choose your life-partner carefully. Don’t make any hasty decisions when it comes to deciding with whom to spend your life. This is huge. Take your time. I got lucky. Impulsivity paid off for me.

5. Prioritize traveling! Experiences create the best memories. Stuff is perishable. TRUE!!! Several of my regrets, and many of my celebrations, involved travel. Do what you can while you can. Don’t be afraid to explore.

6. Say it while you still can. Don’t regret that you held something back when it’s too late to say it. Speak from your heart. Your heart is always right but your brain may wander off target from time to time.

7. Don’t waste any time. Live life like it’s short – because it is. You only get one shot. Live your best every day.

8. Happiness isn’t something that occurs when conditions are more or less perfect in your life, you have to make a conscious choice to be happy. Nana always talked about having “choices”. We make them all day, every day. Choose wisely.  

9. Time spent worrying is wasted, so stop doing it! Set a course and give it a go. You can always adjust your rutter. Take a different path if the first seems to lead you astray but leave the bad behind. Don’t carry it with you.

10. If you want to get as much as possible out of life, focus on the little things. Find joy in the small moments and events that occur every day. You’ve got this. Share your time with the people you love, and you’ll never go wrong. You can get more of everything except time. Use yours wisely.

So, this isn’t a Senior-to-Senior podcast, but rather a series of observations from one senior to another. I offer it with love. Choose the words that work best for you. Most importantly, be true to yourself.