Three Things I Never Thought I’d Say- Aging Changes Your Perception
Can you relate to these?
#1 — Is it shower day?
From the time I reached puberty, I refused to leave the house without taking a shower, putting on makeup, and blow-drying and curling my hair. What a difference 50 years makes. Now I seldom bother with a full face of makeup.
Go a day without taking a shower? That didn’t happen until I was in my mid-fifties. Before then, the only time I skipped a shower was when I was too sick to drag myself into it. Now I find myself asking my husband, “Is it shower day?” Sometimes neither of us can remember.
#2 — Go ahead and do it your way.
I’ve got an A-type, choleric personality. God has done a work in me, but there was a time when I could not accept being wrong about anything. It was my way or the highway. When others disagreed with me, I took it as a personal affront. If you disagreed with me, it meant you didn’t like me. And I wanted everyone to like me. If I wasn’t accepted by everybody I was crushed. My dysfunctional upbringing was the basis for some significant insecurities.
I give God and aging credit for this one. Through lots of prayer and self-reflection, I figured out that just because people have opinions different from mine it doesn’t mean they don’t like me. If they don’t, who cares? I know there are going to be people that don’t like me. Whether it’s my red hair, in-your-face honesty (that could sometimes use a filter), my Christian beliefs, or the fact that I’m a Trump fan. Some people will be offended by my beliefs or personality.
So, what? For every person that doesn’t like me, there are ten that do. I am blessed with a circle of beautiful friends. I don’t lose sleep over “haters.” I’ve had folks tear into me on Facebook. I’ve learned to ignore them and move on. Life’s too short to let others’ pettiness steal your joy.
#3 — I don’t think I’ll ever want to live in a house again.
My husband and I began enjoying RV travel over ten years ago. I finished my memoir Born Again in a Biker Bar in the garage of our toy hauler in the Santa Cruz mountains of California. My husband would drive us there and spend the night with me before heading home for a week, allowing me the quiet time I needed to work on my book.
I’m not one of those writers that can go to a coffee house, pop open their laptop, and crank out an article or a hundred pages of a book. I need peace and quiet to write. Without our toy hauler, I may never have finished my book.
After selling our bar and grill in April 2018, we made our first cross-country trip in our motorhome. The toy hauler was replaced by a fifth wheel, which was replaced by a 40-foot motorhome. About a month before we were scheduled to leave on our four-month journey, I broke my ankle. The challenges that it brought on were astronomical. I share some things that helped me survive it in my Medium post.
That cross-country trip with a broken ankle made me realize that the “stuff” I put so much value in wasn’t important. Who needs a 2400-square-foot home to clean and care for? I could clean my motorhome front to back in two hours with a broken ankle. Why did I need to spend that much time cleaning my bathroom? Life’s too short to spend hours cleaning and dusting off stuff you very seldom use.
We sold our home in Hollister and downsized to 1400 square feet on just short of six acres in Shingletown, California. Fed up with the politics and high taxes we quickly put that house on the market. We sold just about everything we owned and moved into our motorhome. Whenever we were in the house, my husband and I wanted to be in the motorhome. Now our RV is our home, and we love it.
What are some things that have changed for you as you’ve aged? Has your life gotten simpler or more complicated? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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