Here I am at 60+ years of age (thank you, yes I know I don’t look a day over 55) and still trying to figure out what I’m going to be when I grow up. It’s a big assumption that I will ever actually do that – grow up I mean. All indications point to the opposite happening. The older I get the less “grown up” I’m interested in becoming.
When I was a kid my answers to that “What do you want to be…” question would wander around from veterinarian to technical illustrator to pet portrait artist to marine biologist and beyond. (Can you believe I just noticed the art-science theme there? Duh!) As I got a little older my answer would often be “I want to be retired”. I thought I was being clever but as I consider it now, I was being honest.
What did retirement represent to me then? Not having to report day to day to a job that didn’t feed my heart and soul, because pretty much everyone I knew who worked hated their job, or their boss, or their coworkers, or the company they worked for, or (fill in the blank). Only retired people got to spend most of their time doing things they loved. Or at least didn’t have to spend a lot of time doing things they hated.
Not that I knew a lot of retired people. But what I did know is they seemed to be happier and a lot more fun. That’s what I wanted to be – happy. And to have – a lot of fun. That’s still what I want.
It’s taken a long time for me to recognize and accept those as worthy and unselfish goals.
My current occupations (yes, there’s more than one) fulfill those goals beautifully. However, this whole being 60+ thing is going to make one or more of them physically impractical eventually. So I am turning my attention to figuring out how to go forward making a living from being happy and having fun. Because I’m never going to get to stop working but I can still live like I’m retired.
Any suggestions?
Aw Kerry, You already bring joy and happiness whereever you go. You remind me of that “pigpen” character in Charlie Brown with dust falling off him wherever he steps – except that yours is a kind of happy & beautiful fairydust. Great post for people of any age, thanks.
I look forward to finding out more about your classes teaching us the merits of playing together and not only how much fun that is, by how critical it is to our survival. Your writing is just so fabulous! I can’t believe I just found this blog, it’s great, great, great! – Ali
Allison – thank you so much. I love the Pigpen comparison. It’s particularly appropriate when you get a look at my work spaces – LOL. I look forward to your feedback in the future.
You figured out early on the value of following your heart and expressing yourself with words and art – what a clever lady! Having “FUN” has actually been a major part of my spiritual path for quite a while especially when I realized that most people are way too serious. As a professional clown walking an invisible dog many years back, I had an opportunity to express that part of me that needed exposure and FUN. Now, because of my age and experience, I allow myself to have fun everyday by being happy and open to all possibilities. Everyone who is open to your beautiful, creative energy should show up for your Saturday afternoon expressive art adventures into the world of color, texture and soulful delight! Thank you Allison for posting Kerry’s blog on Facebook!
Life is too short to spend much time being anything except happy. I wonder why it takes us human types to figure that out? fortunately, it’s never too late to have a happy childhood. 😉 You’re a wonderful example of living a life full of positive energy and it’s always a joy to be around you.