On the advice of my doctor, I'm trying to get more sleep. Apparently, quality sleep is a major determining factor in the healthy function of many of the body's systems. So, I got an alarm clock (I'm never used an alarm clock my entire life) and set it for 8 o'clock, thinking that would get me the 7-8 hours of sleep my doctor is recommending.
Oh, did I mention that was 8 p.m.?
Since my bizarre body clock has been waking me up at 4:30 a.m. since high school, my doctor suggested I get to bed by 8:30 p.m. The alarm clock goes off at 8 p.m. to remind me it's time to start getting ready for bed (coincidentally, it's the same time I used to go to sleep in the 4th grade!). A friend called me the other night and I was giggling the whole time we were talking because it was 8:45 and I was already in bed (of course, I was too embarrassed to admit that!) I mean, what fully-functioning adult goes to bed at 8:30?
Wait, it gets worse.
So, to be in bed by 8:30 and not have my sleep interrupted by the churning of my digestive system, I have to actually eat dinner about 4 p.m. Can you say, "Senior Citizen Early Bird Special"? Which means lunch is about 10 a.m.! Holy shit, I'm turning into my parents! My nephew came home from work one day about 4:15 and saw me eating dinner and watching Oprah.
"Uncle, are you eating dinner already?" he asked.
"No, no, no. It's a late lunch," I tried to rationalize.
I must admit I have been taking the "senior discount" at the theatres even though I'm not 60 yet. There's a certain intrigue in lying about my age, it reminds me of trying to buy beer when I was too young to do that. But hey, a buckfifty is a buckfifty, with that I could buy a...., buy a...., well, it's still a buckfifty. I haven't sunk so low as to carry a McDonalds paper coffee cup in my car so I can get the "free senior coffee" at MickyD's. Even I have standards.
I guess the AARP did a good job of getting me ready for the "golden years" because I starting receiving their shit in my early 40's. You know you're getting to be a true "senior citizen" when you actually start reading all your junk mail. I purposely put a trash can between the mailbox and the back door of the house so I can toss the junk mail. Because if that junk mail makes it into the house, I'll have an hour's reading on why I need to clean my colon or why I can't enjoy life unless my penis is fully functioning.
All kidding aside, this is the time in our lives where we can have the most impact on our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. For most of the people in my life, their children are grown, their work careers are either over or close to being over and they have the time and resources to finally make themselves the priority, but not in a selfish way. My classmate Debbie and her husband Brian take friends on hikes around Oahu every Monday. Others are volunteering with community organizations or caring for their grandchildren.
Being focused on your own personal health and growth ensures your ability to be fully present with the people that mean the most to you. Sure, we might be slowing down a bit, but we have the ability to gain so much more mentally, spiritually and emotionally regardless of what happens to our bodies. "Senior" means we've gone through the freshman, sophomore and junior years of our lives and now it's time to use all the knowledge and experience we've gained to create our greatest period of personal growth.
How do you get started? Just want a better life for yourself. Be open and willing to accept what (and who) the Universe will send to support you. Even if it's just an alarm clock.
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