I’ve always said every decade has a purpose.
In your Twenties you think you know it
In your Thirties you really do know it
In your Forties you know what to do with it
In your Fifties you can choose what you’d rather do with it!
(And), In your Sixties…? Well now, that is the question as that is the BIG birthday I am approaching (at speed it seems)!
What is my sixties going to be about?
Maybe I should have a look at the last decades to see what else is left to do, to say, to see and what is ‘It’ actually about? What does it mean? Life?
I remember distinctly waking up on my 16th birthday and promising myself that when I reached 40 I would wake up with no regrets. I’m glad to say, I kept that promise to myself and my 40th birthday was wonderful and the start of an amazing decade.
But to backtrack a little: My 20’s was a sad decade overall as my darling dad died and that shook my world, my confidence, my life, my belief, my-everything to the core! I split from my husband, due mainly I realised years later, to the trauma of the death of my dad and the other event also in this decade, (but this was a wonderful event) my lovely daughter was born and I became a mother. Well obviously those events took over that decade and I grew up very quickly.
My 30’s was a full of self-discovery, confidence building, having to be independent, balancing motherhood, work and studying. A whirlwind of friends, shows, parties, running a cabaret business (with my sister), working 3 jobs and a lover that was almost ten years younger than myself. A brilliant 30thbirthday party kick started that decade and a beautiful young guy (another younger male who would have liked to be with me but I thought one was enough! Lucky me!) had written a song especially for me and sang it to me at the party.
Now my 40’s was a ball and literally started with one! My family organised a black-tie event. A glamorous ball at one of my favourite hotels and it was simply gorgeous. It’s the decade I travelled the world working with P&O Cruises and that really was the dominant factor in the decade. I had the most amazing job, met great people and experienced the most awesome things; from walking the Great Wall of China, sailing up the Amazon, seeing the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, walking on Table Mountain in South Africa, climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, and much, much more. I visited every continent including the Antarctic (breath-taking) and almost every country that has a coastline and harbour! I can’t fit everything on here because that is a story in itself.
My 50’s, ah now I did have a little wobble here! My poor sister had to scale the planned party down to very intimate affair as I didn’t want a fuss and wasn’t happy with the thought of being 50! I mean what is it? It’s the equivalent of 15. You’re not a child but you’re not an adult. 50 is the same. You’re not old but you’re not young anymore. It is sadly the age where you can begin to become, unless you work hard not to, a wallpaper person. No one notices you or takes your opinion seriously, because you’re 50 and getting old and employers, officials and society doesn’t quite know where you fit in either! But I did discover it was the decade where you find the confidence to say NO! Whether people like it or not is irrelevant. You are able to say No and mean it! You realise you’ve earnt the right. You’ve broken the mug, greyed the T-shirt and lost the medal, so No you’re not putting up with all the bull anymore.
So how am I going to approach my 60’s starting in December? Head on with a cry of ‘Bring it on!’ 60 is going to be about ‘Me’, I am going to have ‘Me time’, I know it sounds like a cliché but it’s true.
I’m a mother and a grandmother.
I’ve had the career of my dreams travelling the world and entertaining.
I’ve had work that has given me fulfilment.
I’ve studied and bettered myself.
I’ve co-run our family entertainment business.
I’ve sang in a show at The Palladium.
I’ve given away a kidney.
I’ve had a husband, partners and lovers (not all at the same time!)
I’ve circumnavigated the world, twice!
I’ve tackled the menopause (and still get night sweats, what’s that about!)
And that just scrapes the surface.
I’ve still got a Bucket List and it doesn’t seem to be getting shorter!
I’m going to:
Play my saxophone proficiently.
Speak French or Italian proficiently.
Learn to play chess.
Maybe have a small exhibition and sell some of my art work.
Have a piece of my written work or a poem published.
Run my own creative business to supplement my pension when I retire.
Get my profile with the Supporting Artist agency up to scratch to get work to supplement my income when I’ve retired.
Keep studying new things and achieving certificates.
Visit Yorkshire (again).
Visit Scotland (again).
Become a member of The National Trust.
Take a trip on the Orient Express.
Make it through my 60’s in good health.
So I’m not sure a decade is going to be enough!
Of course my family are the centre of my world and the most important thing but….life is a balancing act, that after all these decades I’m good at. So…watch this space.
Old age is a gift and I don’t intend to waste or squander it. I mean to grab it and ride it all the way to the end. I mean it’s going to happen whether you like it or not, what you do with it is your choice and let’s face it I don’t fancy the alternative, do you?