I came across a conversation on Twitter - it was about money, debt, a son, and his rich parents and in laws.
It wasn’t the discussion about money that fired me up but this comment:
Big piles of money lose their impact after 50. Life has pretty much been lived at that point.
Life has been pretty much lived at 50!
I so disagree!
When I was 50 my Mum had just died. In hindsight, her death was a key pivotal moment that led me to a new job, a new home and, ultimately, a new relationship.
The job introduced me to a client. At one of their events, I met Chris. We got together a year later and Chris and I started promoting his work as the Blind Woodturner. We found some outlets in the local area as well as the fairy tale castle where we got married.
We travelled the country giving woodturning demonstrations, Chris was featured on various television programmes, he spoke at events and honed his public speaking skills. He became the first blind Woodturner to be accepted on to the Register of Professional Turners. Google made a film about him.
Then we relocated. In Derbyshire we became part of the local farming community. We have a smallholding, hens and I take care of sheep. We're often involved in sheep shearing, sheep moving, walking the cows home, and lambing.
For the past 10 years I've been living my best life.
After spending so many years, nose to the grindstone, working long hours in jobs I didn't especially enjoy, and not living enough of my life, I definitely haven't pretty much lived my life. I'm just getting started.
I’m fairly sure that Annie (80), Jennifer (early 80s), Yvonne (94) and Barbara (93) would agree. All four are game old birds. Annie spends some of the year in France. She runs a charity in Bangladesh and part owns a hotel. Jennifer travels, manoeuvres cars into tiny spaces (I used to drive lorries, darling), paints, and has a hectic social life. Yvonne makes a point of going out somewhere every day. She enjoys a G&T, always has a jigsaw puzzle on the go, and maintains her beautiful garden. Barbara, one of my Mum’s oldest friends, travels several times a year around the UK. She always remembers birthdays and anniversaries, writes letters, and has a weekly schedule of activities. She still drives and married, for the first time, when she was over 50.
These four women are my inspiration. Each unique, each with bags of personality and a style of their own. They’re forces to be reckoned with. They lead full lives. I hope to emulate them and follow their example.
If you’re over 50, do you think your life is pretty much lived? Or is the best yet to come? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments.