At our age...

I was hanging out with my sweet grandmother yesterday at our family Easter gathering. We were talking about her recent sixtieth wedding anniversary, and she said that she felt like it had changed the way she looked at things. She told me about how they like to grab a burger when they're in town, she and my grandfather. The doctors in charge of my grandfather's pace maker closely monitor his data, and my grandmother told me that during one phone call, the nurse had asked if he ate salt. My grandmother had told her that yes, actually, they had decided that at their age they should be able to indulge from time to time. The nurse had laughingly agreed. I did too! The conversation continued, and she told me she had started being more willing to just tell people that no, they couldn't make it to events late at night, and that she didn't feel bad.

I laughed and told her I agreed. And I do. We're only here for a while, to work and to play. We should maximize our time, yes. We we should also maximize the life in our days. Sometimes that means taking on risk. Sometimes it means protecting your private time, especially if you're an introvert like me. Sometimes it means stepping outside your comfort zone and taking time away from yourself.

Living life well, I realize more and more, is about balance. Challenge the status quo, but not to the point it becomes far too heavy or stressful. Work through stress to challenge the status quo. Yin and yang. Light and dark. We all have a little of each. We can't overfeed one and neglect the other. Fuel them both. Feel good.