Conquering the Kepler - Part 1: The Ascent

After completing the Jatbula Trail earlier this year, we decided we would take our new found 'passion' for walking to New Zealand. After much research it was decided that we would attempt the Kepler Track - a 65km walk over 4 days. It was not an easy walk but we would prepare for the challenge!!

Part 1: The Ascent

Today I would discover whether or not my fitness levels were adequate. Ahead of us loomed a 1500m mountain - supposedly a 5-6 hours climb. I would also discover how heavy my backpack really was! This was always going to be a test of perseverance. When I was in my twenties, I attempted a walk up Carey's Peak in Gloucester Tops NP. It was not good - tears, torrential rain, and tantrums! So I was about to discover if I had grown in my ability to face something I was totally averse to when I was younger. For me the training required was not just physical. It was about having the confidence to attempt to do something which had previously daunted me. The first day would provide me with just that opportunity. As we set off up the mountain, I was feeling confident. At that stage the load on my back was comfortable. The surrounding forest provided a stunning distraction as I continued just putting one foot in front of the other. There was no deadline looming. It would not get dark until 9pm! I was pleasantly surprised with my progress.

After stopping for snacks and lunch we continued up, taking our time to catch our breath after the really steep sections and continuing to persevere - moving forward one step at a time. The burden on our backs growing heavier by the minute. We eventually reached the snowline and the forest cleared to reveal incredible views over lake Te Anau. It also revealed a sign indicating that the hut was only 45mins away! Sheer joy! Our burdens became lighter, we had renewed vigour in our steps and the desire to soak up this stunning landscape dispelled all pain!
As I reflect on this experience I realise that everything that is really worthwhile and fulfilling in this life, is also interwoven with difficulties, uncertainties and often pain. So often, we just have to keep going - to persevere in spite of emotions that would tell us otherwise. Especially in the really foundational aspects of life - such as marriage, parenting and faith.

And as we age and our bodies eventually give in to the ravages of time - we will also need to remember to enjoy the distractions around us; to soak in the stunning landscape of family and friends and to anticipate the incredible delights of that which is to come.

A Multi- Layered Life

In recent weeks I have experienced again first hand the joys and challenges of parenthood. My daughter and her children stayed with us for a couple of weeks while her husband was overseas. Unfortunately, they all became ill - except for me. There had to be a shift in my usual routine, in my thinking and in my expectations for this short period of time. My house was messy, my jobs incomplete and my freedom to do as I please was somewhat limited. But I loved it! I realised how rich life can be when there are children in the home. One cannot afford to become pre-occupied with oneself as the priority of life is to meet the needs of others.
I have also had opportunity in recent weeks to spend time with people at the other end of the scale - adults whose lives are not often interrupted by such demands. They have the freedom to travel, to rest, to socialise and to generally live life as they please. Yet, they seem sad. As the realisation of the finiteness of life looms larger each day, there seems to be a gradual pre-occupation with the needs of self. Conversation often revolves around health issues, recreational pursuits and finances - while the 'big' issue which faces us all is carefully overlooked.
It's intriguing that the closer we get to the end of this life, the more we cling to our sense of self. The concept of eternity in many people's minds is not a reality so this life is all there is! But I think life becomes hollow and somewhat meaningless when our only priority is to nurture ourselves because our time on earth is limited! It is too 'linear.' We benefit from relationships that are built across the generations. This means that our time will not always be 'our own' as we sow into the lives of others. There will be some sacrifice required. The wisdom of our years can be shared with our younger friends and family - a legacy for future generations. Life becomes richer and multi-layered. We too can learn and be stimulated by the ideas and experiences of younger people. Although the body will decay physically, our ideas, world views, values and beliefs can continue to influence the next generation and beyond.

The Veggie Patch

Spring is here and that can mean only one thing - it's time to get outdoors and plant! The first spring of retirement has brought with it renewed enthusiasm for the garden - specifically the growing of healthy, organic, pest free vegetables. I anticipate creating delicious salads and sauces all of which are enhanced by the flavours of my home grown herbs! So after letting the ground lie fallow (with weeds) for the previous season, the sods of soil are tenderly turned, organically enriched, duly drenched and set for sowing. The seedlings are bought, carefully planted, diligently watered and methodically mulched. I wonder - will I reap the benefits in 6-8 weeks time or will my diligence and enthusiasm fade in the heat of the summer sun! My father had an impressive veggie patch and I remember him working in his singlet and shorts, pruning, watering, weeding and mulching. And I remember the fruits of his labour - delicious! I think aging is a bit like a veggie patch. As we age we can easily allow the weeds of discontent, regret and boredom to sink deep into our 'not so fallow' hearts, strangling out any opportunity for tender shoots to grow. We can become cynical and think that the world has nothing to teach us because we have 'seen' it all! We need to have the soil of our hearts stimulated with new ideas, interesting people and creative activities.
Our later years can then become a time of fruitfulness and of productivity, where we influence others and enrich the flavour of their lives.

Coming Home

One of the experiences in life that I seem to appreciate more as I age is 'coming home.' Recently I was in Brisbane for a few days visiting my sister. It was a great opportunity to enjoy each other's company. But I find that regardless of where I am or for how long I am away, the thought of 'coming home' excites me. I begin to anticipate the warmth and comfort of my own bed and the familiar surroundings of my own home. Surprisingly, this has not always been so. In past years, I would have 'looked forward' to loads of unpacking and washing; the stresses of supermarket shopping and the challenge of picking up the threads of the busy lives of my four children. And I would have fantasised about what it might be like to have had another week's holiday!
Now it seems 'Home' is my haven. It's where I feel most like 'me.'It says a lot about who I am. One of the things I love about my home is its openness and space. I love to be able to see outside from all rooms of the house and to be able to interact with friends and family whilst preparing meals. I love the fact that our home has space for grandchildren to play and for adults to connect over coffee. And I love the quietness of the surrounding countryside. Being home replenishes my soul.
But this is not my only home. My spiritual home has been prepared for me since the beginning of time. It is my place of rest in this life and the next. My spiritual home is where I find my security,significance and acceptance. This home has not been constructed by human hands but by the compassionate, merciful and loving hands of Jesus. As I grow older, I hope that the prospect of fully occupying such an incredible home fills me with joy and anticipation.

Happiness Meme

I have been tagged by my beautiful daughter-in-law in a Happiness Meme! Now if you are a baby boomer reading this - you may be thinking 'What the?" There are two words that I need to translate into 20th Century language so that I can actually respond to her request -'tag' and 'meme.' The first is easy - when you tag someone in a game - they then have to tag someone else. So the baton is passed to moi and I can then pass the baton on to another! Great - now 'meme' - any clues? According to Wikipedia its a set of ideas, cultural values etc that can be transmitted from one person to another in this case - 'Ten Things that Bring me Happiness'. So here they are:

1. Grandchildren

2. Watching my kids parent their kids

3. Having a house full of family and/or friends

4. Being challenged physically and mentally

5. Spending time with friends

6. Helping friends and family grow in their understanding of God

7. Adventurous holidays with my husband.

8. Swimming in the sea

9. Coffee on the back veranda - with a good book

10. Having the choice to decide what to do with my day!

So now I tag Shona to share the ten things that bring her happiness!

Fitness at Fifty (something)

It has taken me some time to believe in my ability to undertake and enjoy physical challenges. I had always considered myself to be 'hopeless' at such things, due in no small part to my short stature and 'chubbiness' as a child. It was not until my early fifties that things began to change. During the past month, I have bush walked, cycled, paddled and 'pumped iron.' I feel great! This change from sedentary to sporty has been a gradual process - one which has been a wonderful by-product of a good friendship. My first foray into stretching my physical boundaries was a 20km paddle on the Paterson River. Here I was exposed to people who were truly inspirational - an 80yr old man who paddled in the 100km Hawkesbury Classic every year, a 70yr old couple who blitzed the course and our friends for whom fitness and physical challenges are a part of their everyday lifestyle. Consequently, I began to change my thinking about aging and what that meant for me physically. I have been fortunate to enjoy good health all my life but I was beginning to see myself as 'over the hill' and therefore opt for ease and comfort in my recreational activities. If I was going to learn to enjoy being physical, two things needed to change - my self confidence and my fitness. So the kayakking began. Weekends became opportunities to enjoy the local rivers and lakes and each other's company. Change was beginning to happen. Then came the suggested cycling holiday - 300ks over 10days along the Mawson Trail. 'Impossible' I thought. 'I haven't ridden a bike since I was fifteen.' But maybe it was just a matter of preparation. The bike was bought and the training began. Cycling the Mawson was an absolute buzz! This year has seen the fitness levels challenged once again as we joined our friends walking the Jatbula Trail in the Northern Territory. It was so good to be able to enjoy God's beautiful creation in an 'up close and personal' manner! I am so grateful for our friends who have encouraged and challenged me to develop this previous dormant area of my life. My hope is that as I age, my fitness continues to grow so I am ready to embrace all of life's opportunities.

Our New Red 'Sports' Car

Today I have experienced something new - I have fallen in love with a car!! For years I have listened to my husband and sons 'carry on' about this or that vehicle and its various features and technical wonders. I have oft wondered how something which is just a piece of machinery could evoke such passion, such interest and such care. I, on the other hand, couldn't tell a Holden from a Ford! But today - that has changed!

We are now the proud owners of a red Honda Accord Euro 2007, complete with 'sports kit.' This has been an historical day. Every other car we have owned in the past thirty years has been white - my husband's colour of choice for its practicality! But a colour that does not inspire or excite. The Red Euro was spotted during our search for a replacement vehicle for our tired old white Camry. Such searches can take months - sometimes years to find the right white vehicle that 'fits the bill.' It was truly a miracle that this decision was arrived at so quickly. The surprising thing for me is that I actually now have a sense of 'love' for this vehicle - I may even be inspired to wash it and care for it as tenderly as my sons once did!

I wonder is my new found excitement and devotion merely a response to a 'pretty good looking vehicle'? Maybe my unexpected fervour has arisen because I am a baby boomer having a late midlife crisis and the new red car makes me feel young again. I did notice the turn in the head of that young man who walked past it in the car park this morning... Mmmm.

The Challenge of Retirement

Life has its stages. Some of you will be firmly and physically entrenched in the task of parenting young children, others will be adjusting to the demands of teenagers and their shifting moods and relationships. And there will be those among you who are facing the 'empty nest' as your burgeoning young adults flutter fleetingly in and out of your lives. It was during the Empty Nest Stage that I made an interesting discovery. The phone stopped ringing.(This was before every person over the age of 8 had a mobile phone!) I realised that my kids were the ones who were in demand socially - not me!! My social life had somehow been absorbed into family life. I had neglected this important aspect of my life.

Now I am retired, I can't blame the 'busyness' of a career for a non-existent social life! I have realized that while my working life was very satisfying, stimulating and rewarding, it had its social limitations. Now there are no excuses. It's up to me to create new relationships and deepen old ones. There is a temptation to sink into self pity and isolation but the world awaits. There are friends to visit, family members to support, grandchildren to love and people who need help. So my days can now be far more fruitful, more satisfying and more socially stimulating than I could ever have imagined.

It is with renewed enthusiasm that I head off to the gym - knowing that it is not only my body that will reap the benefits. Its the social satisfaction derived from sharing coffee with my gym friends later that really brightens up my day. The weekly discussion group that meets in our home is also a source of great stimulation. For almost 4 years we have been exploring the existence of God and his interaction in history, with our friends. Its been an amazing journey - where we have all been influenced and moulded by the other. My work with needy women has provided me with incredible insights into the strength of the human spirit and the ability of God to change lives. And there are days when a simple hot coffee or a good book delight my soul. Retirement is not a time to 'retire to a hidden world' but to celebrate life in its diversity!

Aromatic Attraction

Amongst the crowd there lingered and array of fragrances - the sweet scent of chocolate; wonderful wafts of gently brewing coffee; the slightly sour smell of cheeses and the delightfully fresh fragrance of strawberries. What a pleasant experience - to be able to wander along the street, smelling and tasting the delights that were on offer! The Aromas Festival at Maitland was a huge success. It attracted tens of thousands of people to the normally quiet weekend street. And I was delighted with my purchases of jams, olives, chocolates and soap! Our sense of smell is a wonderful thing. We are attracted or repelled by the various fragrances that surround us on a daily basis.

Of course, it is not just our sense of smell that allures us. All of our senses can be stirred in this way - a fact that is blatantly obvious in the advertising industry. But what about people themselves -what is it about an individual that attracts or repels us? Are there specific human characteristics that are universally appealing?

When my friends and family display kindness, compassion, courage, humility, generosity, forgiveness and joy, I am deeply encouraged and my desire to be with them is strengthened. They have an 'attractive aroma' to me. The Bible also speaks of aromas in relation to the followers of Christ - "For we are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (2 Corinthians 2:15)

As I grow older, my desire is that the 'aroma of Christ' may indeed attract others, not to me, but to Christ, as I am changed by His spirit to become like Him who is perfectly kind, compassionate, courageous, humble, generous, forgiving and full of joy!

The Verandah Phenomenon

Today you could feel Spring! So it was an afternoon bike ride among the meadows of Morpeth -a great opportunity to contemplate life. We rode past a number of delightful country cottages and I noted again the habits of many older people - especially country dwellers who sit on their verandahs on such days and....think I guess! I wonder if this is a stage that I too will get to one day - that is being content to sit and think and watch the world go by. I wonder if they sit there because they feel that now they are older, life is best experienced vicariously - maybe it feels more secure watching from the verandah, rather than risking the frustration of not being able to participate as fully as one would like. My first reaction to this common phenomenon is to determinedly continue to 'keep all working parts in order' so that I can participate fully in all that life has to offer. But if I am totally honest with myself I realise that I too am beginning to prefer to 'watch' rather than 'participate.' Having retired from teaching teenagers this year - I am relieved to no longer feel that I have to remain current with the various modes of communication and entertainment of pop culture. Is this the beginning of my disengagement with the current age?? Is this just one step closer to 'the verandah?'

The verandah may however be a sign of deep contentment. Maybe when one is ready just to sit and think about the wonderful gift of life; to enjoy the blueness of the sky and sounds of spring; and not feel that one has to do anything - maybe the verandah is really something to look forward to after all.

And So it Begins....

I am one of the privileged many- born in the middle of the Twentieth Century into the 'Luckiest country in the world. Like many baby-boomers, my parents were hard-working, honest people who lived out their values in a practical down-to-earth manner. Values which to many today, seem old fashioned and irrelevant - but which have been strong pillars of my life. Such values as.... save before you spend; study/work hard and you will succeed; life's not always about getting what you want;always tell the truth; waste not/want not etc etc. It has been an interesting journey - this life of mine. One that will continue for many years to come I hope! I have been a mother for 34 years, a grandmother for 5 years, I've had a career that spanned 27 years and... I've been married to the same man for 38 years!Dull? Boring? Not a chance - life so far has been good, very good. Not without its challenges and times of crushing despair, but as I reflect on my life there is a huge sense of satisfaction and deep joy that resonates within.
As I contemplate life ahead, I am tempted to think of the limitations and weaknesses that may characterize my aging process, but prefer to think that there is joy, contentment and much fulfilment that awaits me as I stare down the barrel of the sixties, the seventies and beyond. Am I being too much of an idealist to imagine that life could be as good at sixty or seventy as it was at thirty or forty? Is it possible that it could be even better? These are the questions I want to explore as I write this blog. Surely each stage of life brings with it particular challenges, but can it also bring meaning, purpose and fulfilment?
My life is more than likely two-thirds done and dusted! That leaves one third left - to be lived and enjoyed or merely endured? When we speak of aging it is usually laced with negativity - but is it possible to change our perceptions? The only alternative to getting older for all of us is an unpleasant alternative - dying young! So why is society so focused on the negatives of aging?
My desire is to intentionally and gladly embrace the aging process - what that looks like I have yet to discover.