Write a letter to your 100-year-old self. – Now there is an interesting task from the daily prompt.
Dear Mike,
First, congratulations on your making it to the century mark. You are a medical miracle at this point and have defied just about everyone’s expectations.
Secondly it must have been great to have that last 30 or so years to fulfill our dreams. You had better finish a few books and of course built an incredible library of images and art.
I hope our better half is still by our side. Your great grandparents by now. I know you’re driving a stick shift of some kind, be it the old Miata you kept or the wheelchair you might be in.
Probably still rocking out to our old classic rock as you are the 3am hour of night like tonight.
You had better still be laughing as best possible and making others laugh.
I’m guessing you have had to endure some great losses along the way. I know you had losses throughout life. That must be tough not to have many if anyone left to share them with you.
If you’re getting this message, take a ride in this. You will both be 100 years old and still kicking. Look out at the ocean, remember your young self with your family on the beach and in the pool.
This will be 100 along with me. That would be kind of ironic. My dad had a 57. Photo by Mike Hartley
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.
Pond along Rt 99 near Waverly. Photo by Mike Hartley
The Daily Writing prompt asks me to – Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.
Hey, you old fart, bet you never planned on living to 100, did you? Here I am in my middle 60s worried that I don’t have enough time to complete the career I wanted to try. And even though after another 3+ decades, I’m betting you still wished we started earlier.
I hope you continue to love, work, and play hard each day. That is how you got there in the first place so don’t go changing now.
I’d like to think you are still sitting side by side with the love of our life. And that our children and grandchildren just drop by unexpectedly to say hello.
So how did this small but wonderful 3 bedroom rancher hold up over the years?
I bet you learned so much more. If I know you I bet you’re still trying to stay mentally and physically sharp.
Well, it’s time to get back to living each day. Because that is what we do and make it the best day possible. There is so much to do between now and talking to your old ass that I’m already behind. There are a lot more memories to fill your head with between now and then.
Finally, you have my condolences. Because I’m sure along the way you have experienced great losses. Few make it to 100 and those that do, have lost family and friends along the way. And those lifelong relationships can’t be replaced so I imagine it’s a unique loneliness. So, if you haven’t already, get busy making new friends.
Oh, by the way, I know the kids have probably taken your key to the Miata by now. I hid a spare key in a book called “How to Retire Happy” on my bookshelf in the office. Have fun old man.
