"Oh, to be 82 again!"

Yesterday was the 82nd birthday of one of my Senior Friends. As I announced this birthday to my other Senior Lady at the onset of the day she simply sighed, "Oh, to be 82 again!" There could be a short novel written into that simple statement, but long story short, if she could rewind the years to six years ago she would be thrilled.

Our age doesn't necessarily reflect all that is going on in, around and outside of our own personal experience here on earth. But an aging body does carry the risk of health and physical injury impairments as we go along our merry way living our happy little lives.

Mom once told me certain age parameters where health and mortality issues seemed to peak. If you made it past certain milestones (I wish I had a memory or had written down what she told me), your likelihood of living to the next milestone was higher. It seems to me that "50" and "60" may have been two of those milestones. I think "80" was another.

I came home from my day and climbed back into my predictable, comfortable and cozy little life when I heard from a friend. She is my age and I assume those who touch her world are close to the same age bracket. In one breath, she spoke of people close to her who had pancreatic cancer, numerous mini strokes (with the instruction from her doctors to go home and get her affairs in order) and another who had a stroke affecting one side. A mother-in-law (from a different age category) is fighting throat cancer. Her adult sons are fighting anxiety and anger issues.

Wow.

Suddenly I could hear the voice of my Senior Mentor in my head again, "Oh, to be 82 again..."

We don't know what our future holds.

When it comes to matters of health and aging, it could be safe to assume that we may never feel as good as we do at this very moment. Even if we aren't feeling all that spry right now.

When it comes to matters of contentment and peace of mind, we can always hope the future may improve situations which are lacking and will bring more of what we have, that is good. But things never stay the same. Life is ever changing and evolving. The longer we live, the more likely we are to face loss of those who are a vital part of our life.

Life is truly all about perspective. We reflect what we live as we live it. No matter where you are in the spectrum of living, loving and interacting within the world around you, take a moment to appreciate what you have. Rest easy in the assurance that no matter what you are living right now, you will never relive this exact moment again. Sometimes, but not always, that is a good thing.

If I was to take that statement and reword it to "Oh, to be [my present age] again!", would I look back and be pleased that I was living my life in a way which left a trail of happy memories, personal achievement and satisfaction that I was getting the most out of the life I have been given?

This gives me reason to pause and reflect. Is it time to fine tune my life a little bit so when I look back on these years, I will know I lived the best life I could at the time?

How about you? Where are you at? What do you hope to see when you look back at your life in a rear view mirror?

Just more little things that make me sit back and go "Hmmmm...."