I’m not sure if it’s the dreary weather of fog, ice, rain and broody gray skies, but lately little things have caught my attention.

Tracy Ewens, in her blog, “From the Laundry Room,” (https://fromthelaundryroom.com/2022/11/20/air-dry-2/) mentioned how little things have captured her attention—things taken for granted or barely noticed before but now examined with a critical eye.

I, too, have noticed this phenomena. Hubby did point out that we are getting older, but I made it clear that one of us was and it wasn’t me.

My theory is that retiring from the work world gave us an opportunity to slow down our insane rushing here and there. Every day is a weekend so there was plenty of time to enjoy all the mundane, ordinary stuff we had missed when working. This was our time to enjoy our morning coffees and leisurely breakfasts. Our time to relax and plan a day filled with all the things we had put aside for this new chapter of our lives.

I had planned on reading through my stack of books set aside for when I had time; fun lunches with friends; side trips around the Island and over to the Mainland. I would spend more time on my needlecrafts and photography AND write the great Canadian novel!

Hah–that was 10 years ago. So much for great plans.

No one had ever mentioned how the days would slide quickly away. Suddenly, it was the end of another week and you’re asking yourself, “What did we do?”

The other day I was doing my weekly grocery shopping and darn if an energetic senior didn’t pop out from another aisle and almost slammed me to the ground. I moved but my cart didn’t. He looked 99 but had the moves of a 70 year old. My scream of alarm didn’t slow him down at all. His mission was getting to the cashier before any lineup formed. Visions of me possibly lying unconscious in the soup aisle with grocery cart wheels rolling down my body didn’t elicit any guilt or remorse.

It made me realize how our lives can end in a nano-second. One small incident could change a life forever. I was not going to end my life in the soup aisle.

Are we getting older or are we just getting wiser? I like to think we are getting wiser. My list remains the same except my stack of books-to-be-read continues changing. I don’t grocery shop as early as I use to—-that’s the dangerous hour for maniac seniors whose mission is to charge through the store to beat the non-existing rush. I have definitely slowed down to see all the things I missed before. I love photographing all the bits and pieces I see on my walks as people have a playfulness that shows in their gardens or nooks or fences or in tiny corners where walkers like me, wander by and really notice whatever it is.

I want to reassure my friend Tracy, “From the Laundry Room,” that we are both very fortunate in finally having the time to appreciate all the little things and small special moments in our day-to-day life. It’s wonderful to do what we want when we want most of the times. Let’s embrace our freedom from clocks and schedules with laughter and joy; a bag of Cheetos and a good movie; a new coffee bar and a chocolate dessert and the list keeps growing.

Now, if I could only find time to write my great Canadian novel. . . .