Write a letter to your 100-year-old self. – This is kind of an interesting task from the daily writing prompt.

Hey Mike,

Wow I just can’t believe you made it to 100. Some people didn’t give you much a chance to make it out of your 20s. You dealt with multiple cancers and surgeries in your 50s and still lived a very long life.

If I had known we were going to live to 100, I wouldn’t have felt so rushed to accomplish a lot right after retiring. I would have kicked back a little more and been more relaxed.

What a blessing to live a very long life. Our grandchildren are all grown adults now and we probably have great grandchildren. I bet you can’t do the same things I’m doing now, with the current great grandchildren.

I’m so hoping that my better half is still by my side and if I’ve made it to 100, I’m pretty sure she is. That would put us past our 75th anniversary. I was hoping to live to our 50th, so I far exceeded that goal.

Sitting here thinking about living to 100, there also must be a profound sense of sadness because many friends have probably passed. Maybe most of them. The history shared and laughed about and loved, is now a solitary memory.

I hope I’m still fun. That our sense of humor hasn’t been lost. That we still have hope for the world. That we did the right things along the way at difficult times.

Boy if you’re still snapping pictures and at the easel or writing still, I’m very proud of you. I hope you’re being pleasant and kind to those around you. Remember you said you learned by taking care of our parents what not to do to be a burden to your children.

I’m oh so curious to see how we came out of the present time we are in now.

I so hope that even at 100 I find things to love. Be it simple things like the smell of spring, or the sound of water flowing over rocks. Or complex things like still trying to keep up with technology. And of course, the most important thing, time with family.

I recall a line from my mom and other seniors as they grew older that I heard in my 60s. “Growing old takes courage” so you must be one tough individual.

I wonder if Smucker’s Jellies are still celebrating seniors turning 100 like they used to do on TV. Good old Willard Scott.

Well, I must end by saying congratulations and I got an idea. Get someone to help you out to the basketball court. Hit the short rims because your arms probably aren’t strong enough to shoot regulation. Take a few shots, remember the days of your youth and joy at running and playing game after game after game. Then sitting on the court in the dark with the guys drinking beers and laughing the night away.

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