HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!

OK, get this.  Yesterday was my dad's 94th birthday!  I had exactly a 45 minute window of opportunity to get in touch with him.  Why?  Because he was either golfing, playing cards (in the morning), or going out to dinner and playing cards (in the evening)!  And I thought MY life was busy!!  Not only is he physically active, but mentally, too!
I first TEXTED him in the morning to wish him a happy birthday. Then, during that open 45 minutes of opportunity in the late afternoon, we SKYPED!  He told me then that he couldn't keep up with all the people who were wishing him a happy birthday on his FACEBOOK!!  Whenever he had an moment here or there, he was playing words with friends on his I-PHONE with my daughter!!  He is UNBELIEVABLE, YES????  It makes me burst with pride, not to mention awe, to see how engaged with life he is!!!  Many, many more happy birthdays, Dad!  I love you!  BTW, did you pass down any of those genes or did you keep them all to yourself??

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE!

I was watching the Today Show today, as I do most everyday, and there was a segment by Jane Pauley on aging.  She interviewed a man, who, when he was going through a divorce and depression, he went to the beach to de-stress.  Being a carpenter, he decided, just on a lark, to build a sandcastle.  It was therapy for him.  Now he has commissions all over the world as a professional sand sculpturer!  But it was his words, even more than his beautiful work, that really got to me.  He said, "If you're really dissatisfied, find something that feeds your soul, that gets you excited.  Don't quit your job."  (Altho he did, after 6 months!)  "Just make it a bigger part of your life, because that's going to give you the balance that you need."  He loves doing what he does, especially because he is always surrounded by happy people, who are in awe of his work, as am I!  He said, "It's so intoxicating.  I had never had those moments before in my life." When he was asked what happens if the sandcastle falls down, his answer was, "Things collapse, just like in life.  You just start all over again."  His only regret?  He didn't start doing this until after age 50.  The lesson here:  start early in life making time for the things that truly bring you joy!