Suffering indignity is one of the surprises of aging. For every forty-something out there who feels on top of the world, for every thirty-something who feels invincible, for every twenty-something who feels immortal, I recommend that you enjoy it while it lasts. It does not last. Some day in your too-soon-to-come-future, you, too, will plan your travels according to the availability of bathrooms. Even a trip to the store will necessitate careful consideration. Monitoring fluid intake relative to the plan for the day will become a high priority – so much so that you will normalize it. “Is that all the coffee you’re having?” Kerri asks.
“We’re going to Chicago later,” I reply.
“Oh, right,” she says, putting down her cup.
You’ll arrive at your new-normal because, along the way, you’ll have surprise panic moments. There’s nothing more humbling than wetting yourself in public. There are few greater stress inducers than, “I gotta go now!” with no place to go.
And, the greatest indignity of all: at the time of your life that you need to run the fastest, your joints will creak and your muscles hesitate. Your sprint into the woods will look to others like…
Humble, humble, humble.
read Kerri’s blog post about KNOCKING ON THE NEIGHBORS DOOR
smack-dab. © 2021 kerrianddavid.com
Filed under: smack-dab | Tagged: aarp, aging, artistry, bladder control, cartoon, composer, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, humble, humility, indignity, Kerri Sherwood, kerri sherwood itunes, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, laughter, middle age, painter, second chances, solo piano, story, studio melange, the melange, two artists |
The Direction of Intention 
Leave a Reply