New Experiences

I floated down the Illinois river with a group of friends last weekend.    We floated on rafts, kayaks and one couple took a canoe. There were four of us in our raft.  We went 12 miles and it took us 7 hours.  What fun!

This was a new experience for me.  One of my favorite things to do is to experience something new.  When I am going to do something I've never done before, I am nervous.  There is the anticipation of what will be.  Who will I meet?  Will I like it?  Will it be a waste of my time or will it be one of the greatest experiences I've ever had?

However I am also a creature of habit.  I love a routine.  I am most comfortable in familiar surroundings doing what I love.  I love my home, my church and my friends.  I like to plan my days knowing I have control over my life.  Who doesn't?

As I age I find myself more cautious.  I'm not the risk taker I was when I was younger, but that is normal.  But, also as we age we have to be careful about not keeping ourselves active both physically and mentally.  I read recently that it is better to do more than just crossword puzzles to keep the brain stimulated.  The article said to do tasks that forces the brain to do many things like multi-tasking.

My husband I take small camping trips frequently throughout the year.  We camp primarily in our great state of Oklahoma.  Last year we took up geocaching.  We also love to visit museums, antique stores, thrift stores or flea markets.  We never know what is waiting for us around the bend.

This is how I choose to live my days.  I have my wonderful, comfortable and safe routines and I also have my new experiences.  This is how I am aging gracefully or if you saw me on the river raft, not so gracefully!