55+ Living Guide Winter 2018 Winter 2018 55+ issue for Joomag | Page 27

3.
My writing is satisfying and
purposeful. I started writing in my
late twenties with far more doubt than
talent. After writing for over 30 years
and suffering the highs and lows of
the creative life, I finally claim the
right to call myself a writer. While
room to grow and develop continues to expand, right here,
right now is a really good place to be.
4.
I’m healthier now than I was
then. In a culture obsessed with youth
it is easy to equate good health to age.
Wrong. At 30 I smoked cigarettes,
never used sunscreen, drank sodas
every day, ate masses of red meat,
and consumed carbs like there was
no tomorrow. Thankfully my body hasn’t held such poor
treatment against me (at least too much!) Thanks to a
much-improved diet, regular exercise and an active mind,
my vitality, stamina and optimism doesn’t even compare.
5. My finances are 1,000 times bet-
ter. As entrepreneurs, Thom and I have
been self-employed our entire married
lives. At 30 we lived hand-to-mouth
and while we still managed some fun
and adventures, the stress of constant-
ly wondering where money to pay bills would come from
was stressful and problematic. Now completely debt-free
at 60, we have honed our crafts and our consciousness
enough so that money is not an issue in our lives.
6. I love where I live and don’t
crave living somewhere else. Thom
and I met, married and lived in
Colorado for much of our life before
30. Even though it is a beautiful state
with many benefits, it wasn’t where we
longed to be. We’ve also lived in a big city and that didn’t
suit us either. After living in several states and nearly two
dozen homes, we’ve finally arrived at a place and communi-
ty that fits us. While we still love to travel and explore new
locations, we’ve finally found our “place.”
7.
I don’t crave things that I don’t
own. At 30 I was still hypnotized by
our cultural belief that more money
and stuff would make me happy.
I wanted a bigger house, a nicer car,
and all sorts of stuff that others had.
Now 30 years later I realize that all that stuff does NOT lead
to happiness and that meaning, peace of mind and