Turning Sixty

Turning Sixty is not nearly as hard as it was to say Turning Thirty, and I don't really know why.  Maybe I understand my place in the world better than I did when I was half as many years on the earth...

In the past few years I have had to work my way through a few difficulities and sadnesses that I think have matured me more than in the previous Fifty years.

  My parents died and my sister decided she was going to be an only child for reasons that I still don't understand she no longer welcomed any contact between herself and her other siblings.  That took a couple of years to accept.  At the same time I was ill with some weird internal goings on for about 2 - 3 years that took alot of my adventurous spirit. 

My husband lost his job of almost 20 years because he worked for an American Company that fell in the disasterous economy of 2008.  Tough times.  Major Adjustments, emotionally, physically and financially - I think we are on the path to a more even road, that still and never will be paved with gold, but more like asphalt with lots of little potholes, but we are getting through it, putting patches on the holes as we are able.

I have to say that reaching Sixty is just a little milestone, but perhaps a recognized milestone because even though my little family agreed some years ago, not to buy gifts at this time of year, my sons and dh (that often means damn husband, but in this case you can take it as dear husband) pooled their resources and bought me an ipad mini!  And that I can honestly say was an enormous surprise!  I have been wishing and dreaming of an ipad for a while but those things called Finances really prevented any actual thoughts of owning such a thing.  So Yeah, WOW!!

My Birthday and Christmas and my Dads Deathday are all in a row so we generally stay in and keep out of the malls and the stores and off the busy streets.  Christmas for us is a time of  Peace in our World.  We don't rush to go places, we don't feel obligated to give something, anything just to say we did.  We read, and watch TV and walk the dog very early on Christmas morning when the world outside is more quiet than any other day of the year. 

You would think that one would need to work hard at being apart from the Christmas Frenzy, but all it takes is a step back and everything goes on around you and most forget you are even there, which makes it so easy to enjoy those peaceful days even more...

 

Most of all this time of year stirs memories and thoughts of people no longer here, this year too a dear friend - the best man at my wedding died of cancer and I miss him.  I think of my Mom and Dad and Uncles and Aunts who were important to my growing up years.  Special thoughts for my two grandmothers who fulfilled the special job of teaching and hugging and spending time without judgements or discipline....  And a grandfather who didn't seem to notice that I was a girl and taught me to cut wood and throw a fishing line...  So many memories fill my brain there is more that can be written down on a short blog entry...

 

Merry Christmas...

 

PS.  When I was born on Christmas Eve, my mother wanted to give me the first name Christine - my maiden name was Merry...  How bout that for a Christmas baby name!  Whew, I am glad that it became Susan, tho!  My parents I think could imagine the trouble that would have caused me!  Besides, I don't look like a christine!