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The Process of Aging Ungracefully

The last few weeks I've been thinking a lot about getting older. This year for some reason I forgot I had a birthday. My mind just skipped over it; kind of like forgetting the milk when you go to the grocery store. But, the last couple weeks several things have happened which have reminded me that I am in fact getting older, and although there is nothing I can do about it, it's been naner- naner haw hawing in my face. (I think age is a bitchy girl who was once pretty and turned into an old hag and wants to make the rest of us miserable.)

What's been bogging you down you ask? Well, last week I found a friend from high school passed away. I had not spoken to Javier in a while, but there was a moment my senior year in high school where he and I were part of a happy foursome--with Vanessa and Collete--and we were inseparable. He passed away suddenly, and Facebook and texts were flying trying to figure out what happened. I think many people thought it was just gossip, "Oooo, what happened to Javier?", but the truth is, at least for me, I wanted to know what happened in case it could happen to me. Javier's death at the age of 32 reminded us all that even though we're still "young" anything can happen. His death is a reminder of our own mortality.

In addition, a slightly more comical event happened early this week to prove to me, in case I didn't already know, that I am not 22 anymore. While gardening in my front yard and trying to bring my desert dirt yard to life I hurt my back. Apparently, one needs to know how to dig with a shovel. Tuesday afternoon I found myself laying on the living room floor unable to move, needing to pee, but grateful for being able to reach for my cell phone. Three days later, and a trip to the emergency room, I found out I strained the muscles in my lower back and needed to let them rest. Oh, and that I will  also walk and move like a 65 year old woman until they receive plenty of rest. I hope at this point I've managed to lighten the mood and, that you, the reader is laughing. In between grimaces of pain I am laughing, well because there is nothing else I can do, and outside of these little reminders that I do in fact need to slow down everything is good. Wonderful in fact, and sometimes I need to be reminded that I need to appreciate what I have and the people around me while I have them.  

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