AND NOW IT'S WINTER - THE GLORIA DULAN-WILSON VERSION

--> 

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:  

My best friend, Annie G. sent this to me this morning (5/29/13).  I read and re-read it several times.  There are many things in there to ponder; but now that 60 is the new 30, I thought I'd take a whack at making this more relevant to us - we who remain and go forward.  Hope you like it. Apologies to Annie G, and to whoever wrote this piece.  My comments are, of course, in RED.

AND THEN IT IS WINTER: 
  Beloved...Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about  itself. Each day has    enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34.

        

You know . . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you

unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.

But, here it is ... the winter of my life and it catches me by
surprise...How did I get here so fast? {Too busy having fun, living life, getting in and out of hot water.}

Where did the years go and where did my youth go?{Still got mine in my back pocket} I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like. {and now we know they were laughing at us; the same way we can laugh at the kids coming behind us who think they're going to be able to be stupid forever too - cause what you call old and youth is just the level before maturity and wisdom - hopefully they'll make it - a few of us didn't}

But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray  {A little Posner, Dark & Lovely, Bigen, or Just for Men or other hair care products will clear that up in a flash - just don't go weird blonde, freaky red, electric blue, or jet black - Black people's hair is naturally Brown/Black)...they move slower and I see an older person now  {Which means you're still here - it's great to be seen on the scene, isn't it?}

Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be. {No! Now we are walking towers of wisdom; we are the trail blazers; we are the ones that made it possible for those coming behind us to move forward; the way those who came before us did for us - By the way - thank God for OLD, and for having achieved OLD; I'd far rather have achieved OLD, than died too soon, or gone before her time.  Give me "Old" over Dead any day!}

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! {Now that we don't have to be anywhere unless we wanna be and now that we can set our own time, we can take an hour shower to jazz, blues and old school, while the rest go rushing off to an overrated rush hour - been there, done that - designed the tee shirt!}

And taking a nap is not a treat anymore ... it's mandatory! {It's called a POWER NAP.  We never know what new concept is going to come to mind.]Cause if I don't on my own free will  {WE INVENTED POWER NAPS TO GIVE OUR CREATIVE MINDS TIME TO INCUBATE}... I just fall asleep where I sit!  {Use that time to imagine something beautiful that you'd like to be, do, or have - hey, ya never know}.

And so...now I enter this new season of my life unprepared for all the
aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do
things that I wish I had done but never did! {Of course, we're keeping an eye on Stem Cell and OBAMACARE.  Health Spas, Massage Therapy, Vitamin E, Glucosamine/Chondroitin, aquarobics - antidotes to bad joints.  Meditate on health, don't ruminate on disability.  Don't plan to be out of the game for too long - those plans are still on the drawing board.}

 But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's over. {But in the meantime, I'm going to get out there, party, see my friends, do new things; do some of the old things better; write, flirt, travel, and come up with a new way to enjoy this winter  - house parties, theatre, jazz clubs, yacht parties, cook outs; cook ins; legacy planning} A new adventure will begin!  {NOW!!}

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, There are many things I'm happy to have done: {MAKE A LIST OF AT LEAST 100 THINGS YOU'VE DONE THAT YOU'RE EITHER PROUD OF OR YOU'RE GLAD YOU DID - GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT - I DARE YOU - STARTING RIGHT NOW:

 #1 ___, #2 ___, #3 ___, ....................................................It's all in YOUR lifetime.

So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will
be here faster than you think.{And just think, you're here to enjoy it.  There are so many who never made it past Spring, shot Summer to pieces, fell through Fall, completely botched winter.  And we're not only here, but we got several phases of winter to go through.}

So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! {AND DO IT WELL - SAVOR IT - IT'S TO BE ENJOYED}Don't put things off too long! Life goes by quickly. {i.e. Deliberate but don't procrastinate} - AND DON'T DO DUMB STUFF UNDER THE ILLUSION OF STAYING "YOUNG" - HE SAID CHILD LIKE, NOT CHILDISH}.  So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! {REMEMBER:  When life gives you winter, buy a mink coat - apologies to the Peta people - }
You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today {And make sure your doctor is on your side, and not in your pocket - so you can be here tomorrow, too}; and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember {we are the trailblazers; if they won't listen, put it in a book, put it on a cd or dvd, or casette tape - they will get to winter in their own time, and will be trying to remember what you tried to teach them Black in the day - it's called a living legacy}...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past {THEY HAD BETTER}!

"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.
LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY - {AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL}

Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and
silver."  - Mental, spiritual, social, psychological, financial, emotional, and physical health should be in balance as much as possible.  And keep your SOUL intact  - AS FOR GOLD AND SILVER (MONEY) DON'T KNOCK IT IF YOU HAVEN'T TRIED IT - IT HEALS A MULTITUDE OF ILLS}.
LIVE HAPPY IN 2013 --- AND BEYOND!!!

 LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING 
(HERE'S THE FUN PART, FOLKS!):

TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE SO - ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS ( AND YOU CAN START AGAIN TOMORROW TO HAVE EVEN MORE FUN).

~Your kids are becoming you {IT'S ABOUT TIME! I WORKED ON THEM HARD ENOUGH}.....but your grandchildren are perfect!

~Going out is good. Coming home is better! (ESPECIALLY AFTER 3 IN THE MORNING)

~You forget names.... But it's OK because other people forgot they even
knew you (NOW THEY'RE OLD!)

~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything ... especially golf. (BUT IT'S FUN TRYING ANYWAY!!!)

~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore. (I CHANGED THAT LIST LONG A GO - GOT SOME NEW THINGS I'M WORKING ON - WATCH AND BE SURPRISED)

~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep." (YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT ONE!  I LOVE MY LOUNGE CHAIR - JUST THE RIGHT HEIGHT FOR MY COMPUTER TOO! AND IT MOVES AT THE COMMAND OF THE REMOTE CONTROL - WHEN BEDS START DOING THAT, WE CAN TALK!)~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch. (YEAH - THAT DOES TAKE SOME TRAINING - BUT BACK TO THE REMOTE - FAST FORWARD, REWIND, FREEZE FRAME, CLOSED CAPTION - ETC.)

~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... ??? (LOVE)

~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere. (WEAR IT ANYWAY - NEVER LET LOW LIFES INTIMIDATE YOU INTO NOT ENJOYING YOU)

~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!! (YEAH, GOTTA WORK ON THOSE MICHELLE OBAMA ARMS)

~What used to be freckles are now liver spots. (BACK TO THAT HEALTH SPA! NEED ANOTHER SALT RUB AND MASSAGE)

~Everybody whispers (EXCEPT IN THE JAZZ CLUBS).

~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet... 2 of which you will never wear.(AND WON'T GET RID OF EITHER)

~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies,
OLD SCHOOL and best of  all, OLD FRIENDS!

Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!" and let them laugh in AGREEMENT! (YOU KNOW ME, FOLKS, I'M THE ICONOCLAST - WE'RE NOT GETTING OLD, WE'RE GETTING READY - AND WE'RE GETTING BETTER, AND BETTER, AND BETTER - WE'VE ALREADY REDEFINED OLD, ANY WAY.

It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.
SO LET'S DO THIS - WE'RE 2 GOOD
                                             2 BE
                                            4-GOTTEN    
LIFE:
YESTERDAY IS HISTORY
TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY
TODAY IS A GIFT
THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT THE PRESENT

MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND KEEP THE OLD
ONE IS SILVER AND THE OTHER IS GOLD:  I learned this from my teachers at Moon Jr. High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - from the 7th grade on - and I've taught my children the same.  Thanks to all my mentors, friends, loved ones - even the not so loveable ones - for a life time of memorable blessings and experiences. 

YOU'LL NEVER GET OUT OF THIS LIFE ALIVE, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL ENJOY EVERY BIT OF IT:  LIVE A LIFE PEACE, POISE, PROSPERITY, HEALTH, HAPPINESS, CREATIVITY, SUCCESS, AND LOVE    - OR THE NEXT BEST THING - GDW

STAY BLESSED &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson