Turning 70

I am turning 70 in October and I do not relish the idea at all.

I have decided not to celebrate the number but to just celebrate my day.  My daughter said, “You need to celebrate being 70 Mum.” I replied with a firm “No thanks.”

I know age is just a number but quite honestly it’s hard to believe my 70 years on this earth have gone by so fast.

A lifetime is not long enough to do everything you want to do, and I still have things on my bucket list to achieve.

The downside of getting older is that you tend to get more aches and pains, your body changes and it gets a bit harder to do the things you used to do with ease.

Now I wish I had followed correct grooming, diet and exercise throughout my life – generally looked after myself better.

I have always had a weight issue from the time I was quite young and had TB.  The start of my weight issue I believe was due to all the medication I had to take and my long stint in hospital recovering.

In my late teens and early twenties I went on all sorts of weird and wonderful diets and did achieve some success, only to put it back on again.

I have never been that keen on sports so sensible exercise was not really part of my plan.

Having children really messed up my hormones and I was actually lighter in pregnancy than I was pre-pregnancy.  After each child was born I packed on the weight again.

From time to time I go on a diet but along would come some sort of stress and then I would hit the sweetie jar or have that extra glass of wine.

I know that I do need to find a way to relax better.  I don’t handle stress terribly well and can often end up with massive headaches.

Unfortunately with my husband’s health issues at the moment I seem to be carrying quite a lot of extra stress.  As a result, out comes the ‘Rescue Remedy’ and I am using that a lot – not that I’m sure it’s actually doing much to help at the moment.

If I was more active I could go for walks and clear my head but I don’t have the inclination or energy and my arthritis is also a bit inhibiting.

Now at almost 70 I really wish I had taken more care of myself.  So I urge those of you who are fit and able to keep up the good work, I do admire you.

I am looking forward to spring and summer, and hope my husband and I can get out in the fresh air a bit – even if we just find a lovely park bench to sit on and have our lunch.  I love being around trees, they make me feel good and I love looking up into the branches and letting my imagination go free.  It reminds me so much of my childhood when I used to play around the trees at my grandparents place.  I imagined all sorts of little creatures living in the trees.  This is where my idea for ‘The Pipsies’ books I wrote came from.

My body may not be as willing as it used to be, but my mind is still full of ideas for stories and I love daydreaming and spending time in my own happy places  – this is where I still find peace and solace, after all these years.

By Kay Rayner. Read more here.