05.15.23 The next chapter

They took my gallbladder and gave me socks

Last month I turned 60...and for the last 21 years I've wondered what it would be like when I became the age my mom was when she died in 2002.

There's a whole lot wrapped up in that...especially after a trip to the ER and a few nights in the hospital for emergency gallbladder surgery at 59 and 11 months.  It undid me more than a little. 

Fortunately, I'm headed for a full recovery, and except for losing a few weeks in the process, it appears I am going to be no worse for the wear.

As for being 60, here's what I can tell you so far...

Mom - in her late 50's

I look more like my mom than I ever expected to (I always thought I looked like my Dad)…I regularly catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror, or even a reflection in a window, and there she is looking back at me.

I'm healthy (gallbladder aside, I am in good health - or so my doctors tell me); I eat well, I exercise regularly...and while there are no guarantees, I don't expect this to be my last year...

…so, I'm trying to figure out who I want to be for the rest of my life. 

Covid changed all of us - but it's much more than that - and the transition started before the pandemic.  

In 2019, purely by coincidence, I closed my consulting firm (anticipating more travel and time in the jewelry studio...oh, well). 

It's been nine years since I was a full time parent - our youngest child left home in September 2014, leaving me lots of free time to start a blog and learn to make jewelry; and ten years since I was a daughter (my dad died just before my 50th birthday).

Life was going to be different; I was going to be different.  I just didn't know how...but I'm starting to get the idea...

The pandemic brought a lot of darkness, but it's also given me an extraordinary amount of clarity. 

I won't allow my time to be wasted. I no longer have patience for anyone who doesn't value my time, and I want to devote that time to things and people that matter. 

I've re-engaged with politics, but in a much more positive way.  Instead of writing angry Resistbots to my Senators who have no interest in my thoughts, I've been writing Postcards to Voters - over 1,500 of them - since I started in January of 2020.

I've continued volunteering and mentoring - much of it virtually - while things were really locked down.  It's been wonderful to grow and sustain those connections now that we can do things in person again.

I've also figured out what - beyond my family and friends - brings me joy.

Texas Farmers Market haul including flowers from Petal's Ink

Flowers bring me joy - I love having them in the house, especially knowing that every week when I have them delivered I am supporting a small, woman owned business. 

Cooking and baking bring me joy, again - before Covid, I'd pretty much given up (after doing it on a schedule for twenty years) - helps, too, that I'm shopping at the farmers market and have significantly upgraded my kitchen equipment.

With my friend Alaine at a recent WJA event
both wearing our Social Justice earrings

Even though I'm not making it right now, jewelry brings me lots of joy...so much so, that I am still a relatively active member of the Women's Jewelry Association in Austin...and of course, I keep buying it.

I didn't know what I would find when I started my journey down the jewelry path...it has turned out to be so much more than just shiny things.  I found a creative outlet - both at the bench and on this blog, incredible new friends, and with one of those friends made my children's wedding rings.

I don't know what else I'll be doing - but I'm looking forward to making, buying, wearing and writing about life and jewelry for the foreseeable future.

Until next time.