random thoughts: the kind of person i am ... so far

Inspired by the truly brilliant Zan, I've been thinking a lot about the kind of woman I've grown up to be.   I tried to draft a list similar to hers, and actually did come up with a few things, like:

-  doesn't drink enough water, and when she does, can only drink it through a straw;

-  loves clothing and people who have unique and individual style; yet generally dislikes fashion, fashion magazines and shopping;

-  dislikes flying, but loves the long periods of uninterrupted reading time air travel affords;

-  makes a mean rum punch; and

-  unreasonably disconcerted by feet.

But as I was making the list, I couldn't help remembering an encounter with a woman in my neighbourhood last Thursday morning.  I was walking back from taking Alex to school, and I saw her.  She's someone I see often: she spends most mornings walking her springer spaniel, and I assumed her to be quite a bit older than me: 60, I guessed, perhaps 65.

On this particular morning, she looked particularly radiant, and as his her normal friendly way, she called out hello.

"Hi," I smiled back.  "You look great this morning!  You must be having a great day!"

"Oh thank you," she grinned.  "You know, I just celebrated my 80th birthday* last week."

Eighty years old.

We spoke a bit longer, and as I walked back home, I realized that at 80, she was almost exactly twice my age. As in, if I'm meant to live as long as she has, I have my entire life to live again first.

Seems like a lot of time for my list to change.

*Obviously, I asked her what her secret was to living to 80 years old and remaining beautiful and young-looking.  She told me that she loved the outdoors, and she loved beautiful things.  "I just like looking at beautiful things," she stressed again.

Naturally, I took notes.

Song:  Everybody got their something by Nikka Costa