oh to be young again!

[rainbowgardener]

Seems like we have had a few people lately write in to say they are planning to overnight totally transform their lives and adopt a whole new way of being/living, about which they actually know nothing. Writing to a bunch of strangers, thinking we can give them everything they need to do this, in a few quick posts.

I actually quite admire the idealism and fearlessness involved. I did some of that stuff myself at those ages. But the mother hen in me worries about them. The phrase "sadder but wiser" comes from situations like these. I'm trying to thread my way between being discouraging and giving them some kind of help.

There's a wonderful book "Total Loss Farm: A year in the life" by Raymond Mungo about one person's experience doing this kind of thing. It dates from the 1960's but has been reissued lately. Very entertaining!

[digitS']

When I was a kid, I was a fan of Bradford Angier's books. At the top of the list was "How to Build Your Home in the Woods."

When I showed up in the woods, I actually took some pride in not even opening that book. It wasn't so much entertaining as inspirational! I'd practically committed it all to memory ... someone still lives in the home in the woods I built, beginning in 1974.

Young people need to have a clear vision. They have the energy and enthusiasm -- let's not kid ourselves about that. They will find a path, or they won't. It will not be all their triumph or failing.

Steve

[Susan W]

It's always good to have visions and dreams. That being said, some of the ones that come in with a post about transforming their lives, I question. I figure best to comment perhaps to dig things out of said person. For one, see if he/she may be real or just a bit off and testing. The person may be doing shot gun approach hitting as many boards as possible with linked interest. And goes away.

[ElizabethB]

I used to make all kinds of plans and resolutions. Now I rejoice in waking up each morning. I make few plans. Each day is a new adventure. I am who I am and I am comfortable with myself. I do not need to change me.

The advantage of age is comfort with one's self. Of course I have regrets, things I would like to have done differently but I can not change the past nor can I influence the future.

My resolution is to make no resolutions. I am not perfect nor is my life. It is what it is and I try to be grateful for each and every day. what is done is done. There is no changing the past and the future will take care of itself. Today is important. Call my Mom and my sisters. E-mail my brothers. Give G a big hug. Tell G that I love him. Chat with and share with all of the fine people on this forum.

A couple of months ago - in the depth of winter - I was not so calm. With the outbreak of spring I am feeling much better and much more optimistic. I am much more able to face each day with gratitude.

Best wishes to all of you. Daily doses of joy and gratitude.

[imafan26]

It is great to be young and idealistic and have goals. But it is only as you get older you learn to temper those dreams with a healthy dose of reality and it takes a lot of self insight to realize who you really are and what you are capable of.

Young people sometimes believe that they are invincible, and often have to learn the hard way, how vulnerable they really are.

Too bad that most people have to get older to get wiser, I wish wisdom could come with youth because, my mind is willing but sometimes the rest of me would rather take a nap.

[tomf]

If I had it to do all over again I would not make the same mistakes, I would make all new ones.

[Bobberman]

Gardening is different than most other sport or hobbies. I have learned that the short cut in gardening does not always work. The lazy way also does not work. luck does play a part in almost anything you do. taking your time and planning and reading about your plants and methods is always a better way to be successful!
I find that love of gardening grows as you become more of a gardener. where can you get so much exercise and get so many bonuses of fantastic things to eat that are also better for your health. Gardening is a win win situation in more ways than you can imagine1
Even giving some something that you grew has its own rewards in how you feel afterward!
I love to strain my garden dirt and mix all kinds of things to make the dirt like a special gold dirt . I mix sand pine needles compost and you name it. All these mixes I also make to start my seeds. Being a gardener is fine but when you also grow your own plants in a little greenhouse you become a much happier gardener and more proud of everything you grow! Grow old with your new young garden!

[ElizabethB]

I scanned through previous post and was very touched by the personal insights in this thread. Many of us are on the mature side of life. Like many of you the only way I would go back to youth would be if I could bring the knowledge gained with age and experience with me.

If a magic wand were waved and I could relive any part of my life I would choose my 40's. That was my best and favorite decade. There is only one thing that I would do differently. That one thing would have impacted other life choices.

I had my 62nd birthday in February. I think of it as a good year and a bad year. It is good because I am old enough to collect Social Security. It is bad because I am able to collect Social Security.

Sorry Guys and Gals - I do tend to ramble.

[tomf]

Elisabeth I plan to retire in less than two years, it is going to be so nice not having to work two jobs, home and Boeing.

[tomf]

Last year a friend I ski with all the time and I skied with a 19 year old ski instructor from the area we skied at. We skied all expert runs kind of at a fast pace. My friend said the the 19 year old that we had got old and slow. The ski instructor said "you may be old but not slow, I am having a hard time keeping up with you guys". I thought, kid you just made an old guys day by saying that.

[rainbowgardener]

oh yeah, this move we are working on* will be when I mostly retire. I'm not going to deal with getting licensed as a psychologist in a new state. For $$ and to keep busy, I may look around for some PT work, doing yard work, greenhouse, or painting houses, etc. (I'm currently in the process of painting the whole interior of my house to get it ready to sell and likely will paint the interior of whatever we buy to make it colors we like - we've been looking on line a bit, it's amazing how many houses are painted turquoise, purple, etc! -- so I will be in good practice.)

Looking forward to being more retired and having more time for travel, my garden, good works, etc.

* this move could be happening quicker than we first thought. We let our Quaker Meeting know we will be leaving and selling our house. Word went out on the Quaker grapevine and I just got email from Quaker in a different Meeting, saying she is looking for a house for herself and her dtr and asking some questions. Don't know what will come of that, but sounds like it might be a good fit. So it's possible we will sell our house without ever putting it on the market!! Networking!

[digitS']

... "you may be old but not slow, I am having a hard time keeping up with you guys". I thought, kid you just made an old guys day by saying that.

Now, don't get hurt showing off, Tom!

I think we can see it with sports that require strength, especially. I'm not much of a sports fan to know but strength takes some time to develop. Agility begins to fade ...

Howsomeever, we are talking about half my age ..!

Steve

"One can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways." ~ Edith Wharton

[tomf]

My show off days are long gone, I just have fun now. It is nice that you are worried about me, it shows you care but I am well in control. My friend was telling the truth we do not ski like we once did. We used to go faster and jump off off cliffs all the time. I used to do old school aerial tricks off of what I could get some good air off of. I am skiing so conservative for me that I almost never fall, none so far this year, 3 times last year and once the year before, so I assure you I am not pushing it to the point of a lot of risk.

[tomf]

I was talking with some friends this morning and one told the others about how I was pulled down by an avalanche last year. I was on a steep slope and it gave way pulling the snow out from under me and sweeping me down the mountain. I did count that as one of my falls last year even though it was not my doing. All though saying this may not help my argument about not getting hurt. LOL.
You have to get older but you do not have to grow up.

[123]

Define young or would you like me to define old and make you feel older.

signed old but not oldest

[123]

P.s from 18 years old you start getting older bit by bit.

People of all ages suffer from horrendous illnesses.

Personalities don't change much after 30, but time... time just keeps going on. with or without you.

even though time only exists in the minds of humans.

Time is man made.

[tomf]

Growing old is not always so nice but it beats the alternative.

[123]

I agree

[digitS']

. . . Define young or would you like me to define old and make you feel older.

signed old but not oldest

. . . even though time only exists in the minds of humans.

Time is man made.

Click "123."

"Information: The requested user does not exist."

Life is so odd. Or, it must be that the interactions of lives are so odd .

digitS'

[Rose bloom]

yup!

[digitS']

I don't want you to get the idea that I'm opposed to self-sufficiency. Far from it; I've spent a lot of effort throughout my life on this subject .

I don't want to reinforce RainbowGardener's dismay with some who post on HG. (what did she call them, one-shot wonders?) I want RG to continue as the very helpful gardener she has been .

And, I realized yesterday that I could be all wrong. That someone prepping for when the shtf might just dump all his computer's cookies daily, hourly, by the minute -- just out of an abundance of caution so as not to be traced on the interwebs .

But, someone who joins HG, posts a question (question, link) within 7 minutes, and never returns to see the fine efforts of gardeners to answer - should be locked up ... or something! (user, link).

And now, HG administration can delete this because I've just complained about someone failing to return after a full week to read our responses !

Steve