Boston gathering – do you live near here?

Mary, Turning 71

I’m Mary Hirsch of Boston, (turning a youthful 71 tomorrow) with an UPDATE for the pending FIRST 71Candles get together as soon as our HOT/HUMID “peasant weather,” as my tiny, aristocratic French grandma called it) passes. I share her view on the nastiness of heat/humidity, sans judgment on the “peasant” business. Grannie was an aristocrat, bless her little heart. I moved to Boston from Santa Monica eight years ago not only because Boston was on my bucket list (and I love crossing out stuff on my list) but because I absolutely LOVE snow, cold abd rain: the more the merrier, so “let it rip, dear Lord!” My body loves it.

So here’s the scoop: In the last couple of months, I’ve heard from a few women in the surrounding area of Boston and they all sound wonderful. One, in particular, sounds like a kindred spirit: retired from a professional she loved, exercise lover, POSITIVE, active, engaged in life and a woman with a purpose besides being a grandma, baking cookies, obsessed with ailments and feeling sorry for herself because she’s “aging.” WE ALL ARE! Please do NOT misunderstand and sense any judgment on women who opt for what I described (do your thing; it’s YOUR life!) it’s just that some of us (minority, probably) opt for other choices and it’s ALL good; all good. I just hope that as we move along in Boston, we might be able to put a group of women with COMMON interests beside “aging.” I just want to be perfectly clear of where I, personally am coming from.

Tomorrow I’ll be 71 – and rocking it. No biggie. Like most of us, I have my health challenges which I call “hobbies,” but REFUSE to dwell on. Suffice it say I’ve had my share and am presently being “challenged” with a particular one but I’ll be the first NOT to bore you; I’ll save that for my doctors – they get PAID to listen! Instead, I’m doing ALL I can to jump this hurdle and most excited about my MAIN present to myself: treat myself ALL AUGUST with gifts to myself: (I’ve already hit Tiffany’s, a trip to La Jolla, CA, and can’t wait to get the snazziest pair of RUNNING SHOES and the best sports bra! I’ve already hit the hairdresser to trim my pageboy, had my mani/pedi. The spoiling continues! And I don’t wait for my birthday to spoil this Princess, as I do it all year long. I just crank it up a few NOTCHES during August!

So sisters, IF your thinking veers in my direction, we’ll have a great time. Life, as we all know, is life: unpredictable, challenging – and not for “sissies.” We are ALL given our challenges and we have CHOICES to make: give in, surrender, feel sorry for ourselves or like warriors, MARCH ON! I CHOOSE to be a warrior and sometimes think of life as a bowling lane, knocking off one pin (challenge) at a time, jumping up and down when I get a strike. And with that attitude, you can be sure, I manage to get a few.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes: “I may not be able to control the wind, but I surely can control my sails! IT’S ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE – AND GRATITUDE!