Reflections On A Decade

I am about to celebrate, no, let's say 'experience' a birthday.  A big birthday.  A big, zero birthday.  I met my last zero birthday with very conflicted feelings and, probably, some depression.  I remember the day vividly, as if it were yesterday.  It was an uncommonly warm day and I walked to the Secretary of State's license bureau, which was just down the street from where I worked.  It was one of those birthdays where I had to renew my license, take a test and have a new picture taken.  Perhaps my gloom and doom feelings were connected to the then recent tragedies surround 9/11.  Whatever the case, I did not embrace that birthday.  
Now that ten years have passed, I look back at the past personal decade and look at how many watershed moments have occurred:

• I experienced professional success.
• Both of our children were married.
• The gift of grandchildren was given.
• I earned my master's degree.
• My SO took early retirement.
• Birdie and Timeless came into our lives.
• We lost Max.
• We rescued Oskar and found him a wonderful home.  Part of our hearts left with him.
• I walked away from two careers and group health insurance.  What was I thinking?
• A sister and brother-in-law died.
• I became a two-thumbed texter.
• I became eligible for group health insurance, once again!
• I started my own educational grant foundation of which I can proudly say I am the President, CEO, CFO, and Chairman......perhaps my greatest achievement?

As I look ahead to the next decade, my bucket list includes:

• Help my oldest grandson celebrate his fourteenth birthday
• Keep my remaining agility
• Get a gas cooking stove
• Drive the aqua RV out of her slip
• Take an Alaskan cruise
• Visit New England
• Prevent shoulder-slumping
• Keep from drooling, mumbling, or otherwise publicly embarrassing myself or others

If I achieve any of these bucket-list items, you'll be the first to know!

Ancora imparo