Bougainvillea blossom blowing down the street, chased by its shadow.
People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work that it takes to make it happen. — Donald Miller
Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. –Samuel Ullman
It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement. –Mabel Newcomber
-–Quinn McDonald is writing her book about the inner critic.
Great quotes – at 96 my Mother still referred to herself as getting old – she thought she might be old at around 100. I liked the use of ‘might’ don’t you?
Another quote I like right now is from Confuscious: it doesn’t matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop. I’m going slowly but can feel I am about to speed up!
I love when life-experienced people (I like that better that ‘old’) have the energy not to think of themselves as old. At 96, I think she’s wonderful.
Thanks for the quotations, Quinn. I look forward to the publication of your new book; an arena where I can surely do some learning and growing.
Kristin
The reason I know so much about the inner critic is my own experience. It’s a daily challenge. I want company, so I wrote the book!
Samuel Ullman had the right of it. You are only as old as you think. I like to think that’s why kids are drawn to me. I never tire of telling stories, playing like a child and I am perpetually curious, much to my husbands chagrin.
I once saw my mother in law, on her deathbed entertaining an old boyfriend she hadn’t seen for fifty years. She was acting like a teenager even as sick as she was. My husband and I couldn’t believe our eyes. We still talk about it.
My own mother told me once that when she looks in the mirror she doesn’t know who that old woman is. She said she still feels like she’s nineteen. I can relate. My years are close to sixty now. It’s always a surprise to me looking at my hands only to discover they are my mother’s old hands.
There are some perks, however. My grandson recently told me I was “the most active old person” he knows. I guess I’m doing okay.
Sounds like you are doing fine. Better that your body is getting older than your mind is atrophying. As we age, it seems foreign to us–we still feel young and have interesting ideas. Stick with that, it works really well.