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For as long as I can remember, I’ve believed that serving others was simply what you did. You showed up, you helped out, you said yes more often than no, and you didn’t make a fuss about your own needs. Caring for myself was something I could get to later, once everyone else was settled. The trouble with this mindset is that there’s often no time for later.
Serving others is deeply meaningful to me. It gives me purpose, connection, and a sense that my life matters beyond myself. Whether it’s helping out family, friends or community, being helpful can be fulfilling. But constant service without self-care will eventually be depleting.
Caring for myself isn’t selfish, it’s sustaining. When I’m rested and attentive to my own well-being, I show up more fully for others. I listen better. I’m more patient. I’m less reactive. I serve from a place of abundance rather than obligation.
I have to admit though, it’s been a struggle for me to find the balance.
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No matter how grown-up they get or how independent they seem, my kids are always my kids. They can have careers, homes, and strong opinions, but I still see the little ones they used to be. And when life gets hard, I show up with no questions, no hesitation, no second thoughts. That never changes. Love doesn’t fade with age. Being a parent just looks different over time, built on pride, worry, and a bond that doesn’t ever loosen.
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Wishing I could find that sweet spot between working out and feeling sore and doing nothing and feeling sore. Does a pain-free world even exist for seniors?
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I suppose it’s easy to believe that technology belongs to younger generations, but a growth mindset says otherwise. Learning to use technology isn’t about me keeping up. It’s about me staying connected. Video calls and group chats keep my friendships alive. If I start to resist change and cling to my old habits and ways of thinking, my world will quietly grow smaller. Missed opportunities, fading connections, and a sense of isolation would inevitably creep in. Approaching technology, on the other hand, with curiosity and expectation will continue to build my confidence and independence. Getting older doesn’t mean shrinking my world. With a growth mindset, technology is helping it expand, as I learn and connect in new ways.
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I joined a fitness club a couple weeks ago which sounds like the typical New Year’s resolution made by most middle-aged guys trying to reclaim what’s been lost.
For me this isn’t about six-packs or personal bests. I’m not middle aged any more so my routine is gloriously simple. My goals are movement, flexibility, and getting my heart strong enough to enjoy life. I’d like to forgo the groaning every time I stand up. Stretching, light cardio, upper/lower body weights: that’s my plan. And the possibility of a post workout massage chair is a definite plus. There’s nothing in the routine that’s dramatic or excessive except the soreness.
Yes, I’m sore, but oddly, I’m enjoying it. I feel looser, steadier, and more energized. Turns out that moving my body is a great reminder that it still wants to work with me. So I’m slowly, steadily and purposefully moving into the new year, taking each day as it comes and working with the challenges it brings.
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Did a cardio workout today and was wasted by the end of it. Beginner level, experienced coach with a no judgment approach. I’ll be back even though my body says oh no you won’t.
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This morning I left my bed, made a coffee and plugged in the Christmas lights. I sat quietly by the tree, immersed in memories of days past while snow fell and winds howled just beyond the glass. Outside, the weather might bring chaos, but inside I am content.
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Every year I struggle to find the motivation to decorate for Christmas. But then up goes the tree and I feel festive enough to do my piece without hesitation or complaint. Ho ho ho…hum(bug).
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I took a trip out to Okotos, Alberta recently and ended up at a baseball game at Seaman Stadium, home of the Okotos Dawgs. It’s a great spot to watch a game, but what really caught my attention wasn’t the baseball, it was two words painted right on the field: “Don 100.”
I had no idea what that meant at the time. Later I learned the stadium was built by Don Seaman, a local philanthropist who had a personal goal to live to 100. He actually missed it by just 17 days, which somehow makes the whole thing even more inspiring.
When I first sat down in those stands, I’ll be honest. I was feeling every ache, every creak, every reminder that I’m not exactly getting younger. I wasn’t thinking about big dreams or long futures. More like wondering why my body seems to have developed its own collection of sound effects.
But sitting there, staring at “Don 100,” something shifted. Here was a guy who set a huge goal for himself and chased it with everything he had. He didn’t quite make it, but he lived toward it.
And meanwhile, I was sitting there… kind of wallowing.
So I made a decision, nothing dramatic, just a quiet promise to myself. I might not care about hitting 100, but I do care about making the years I have feel more like something I’m actively living, not just drifting through. Less worrying about what I’ve lost, more focusing on what I can regain, maintain, explore, or just appreciate.
Don Seaman didn’t reach his goal, but he reached for it. And that’s the part that stuck with me.
Funny how a baseball game can give you a little nudge to get moving again
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Snow blankets the street with transformative beauty. The promise of fresh starts and renewed hopes.
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Bribed myself into a walk today with the promise of a pitstop at my neighborhood treatery. Once there, my eyes devoured all the sumptuous options, but I was happy with just a coffee. I am such a liar.
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Notable by his absence in this photo is me. It’s sadly funny how I can be so invested in doing something and a couple months later not even making an effort. Well, perhaps this little post is the first step in kickstarting my mobility goal once again. We will see.
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Opportunities abound when you live downtown. Last night, in a candlelit sanctuary, we were immersed in the music of ABBA. The Vintera String Quartet filled our hearts with joyful sound.
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Despite the category, this guy is not walking around today. My knee is protesting the whole walking around concept. Random body parts are taking turns reminding me that I’m not 35.
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A new perspective on something familiar. Reminders for me this morning of the value of seeing something from a new point of view. Of actually listening to what someone is telling me instead of dismissing their thoughts and opinions as wrong.
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I’ll miss these marina views. RV season is drawing to a close. Daylight hours are shrinking and nighttime’s temperatures are visualizing our breath as we burrow beneath the blankets in our bed.
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Happy Thanksgiving! This weekend, I’m celebrating family, friends and all the good things that fill my life with meaningful purpose. We may feast on food, for sure, but we also feast on the bountiful relationships and resources that are possible because of the freedoms we have in this great country.
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I am such a chicken. Signs like this make me want to hightail it back to the car and just go home. Or maybe become one of the gray heads walking circuits at the nearby mall, dodging shoppers and wondering why my feet are killing me. On this day, however, I kept on walking, passed the sign and entered the woods.
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I had completely forgotten about this walking trail. As I walked it the other day I determined to visit it regularly. All Trails app makes it easy to see where you’re going and how long it will take you to get there. There will be no need for search parties to rescue this directionally challenged trail walker.
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This is likely the last camp fire of the season. We bought our RV as an escape during Covid and have never regretted it. Four years later, we’re settled in and enjoy having a closeby retreat from our somewhat hectic life.
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Saw this little guy on our walk this morning. No clue what type of insect it is, but will no doubt see more like it in the coming days till the weather gets cooler.
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I know that I am prone to enthused exaggeration, but on my walk today I saw the most beautiful tree in the park. Before you judge me, know that I already have tempered my remarks for I really wanted to say that on my walk today I saw the most beautiful tree in the whole wide world.
