Louise, Age 71
Like one of your bloggers, reaching my 70th birthday was the first birthday that made me stop and think that I was indeed getting old(er). We celebrated with family & friends at a raucous Morroccan dinner complete with belly dancing! It is my aching joints that remind me of my age since I neither look nor think like many 70+ women.
I have been a Maternal-Child Health Nurse since 1962 and working with young families has been very meaningful work which has greatly enriched my life. I just retired from a 28 year stint at UCLA Extension doing Nursing Education and found that teaching younger nurses and mentoring them has been very rewarding work as well. I continue to work on a contract basis doing educational programs in the health field and am now doing something very different in a pilot project on Professional Development. Working on new projects keeps my mind active and I like learning new things. Making new professional contacts and still earning a little more money is a big incentive.
I am blessed with a loving family that not only lives close by (Los Angeles, CA) but is emotionally close as well. I and my husband of 46 years, my two children and their families see each other frequently and we really enjoy being together. I especially love doing things with my grandchildren the youngest of which takes me back to Story TIme at the Library. Kiddie Gym lessons and singing lullabies in a rocker. Delicious! It is these grandchildren that push me to take good care of my health so as to be present at their life milestones.
I know there are many women like me because I meet them at CURVES, the exercise studio for women only. I look at the 80 somethings come to work out and I am inspired to keep going even on days when I’d rather sit and read. I have been lucky to live a good life and look forward to the next chapter.