By Ellyn Mantell
If ever there was a time in life for acknowledging the yin and yang, this is it! For those who are not aware of the definition, the symbol is a swirling image in black with a white circle, and white with a black one, coming together in a round configuration. It is based on Chinese philosophy, and this, at its most rudimentary meaning, describes opposite but interconnected forces, such as, good and evil or happy and sad. To be honest, I am not in an evil or sad place…I am good and happy-however…
Moving to our beautiful new home in south Florida has countless benefits, and I haven’t even begun to explore all of them. Unpacking is taking so much longer than anticipated-no doubt partly because I am attempting to keep only those items that feel “imperative” (okay, I DO NEED every one of those white blouses!). But the other side of that is more of my time is spent doing fun things, such as socializing, attending classes, having coffee with a friend, and okay, going to doctor’s appointments…ah, the aging body!
I will not lie and say that all of this is without some adjustments. Our condo is wonderful, however, there is one driveway and we have two cars. Forget even thinking of parking in the garage…where would all of the boxes that I have yet to unpack hang out awaiting my attention? Bruce and I are forever moving our cars around and taking care not to place the keys in the wrong place, preventing one of us from leaving. However, on the other side, is the fact that we are not dealing with snow or ice, so leaving the cars on the driveway is not a problem. Additionally, regardless of how many closets we have, it is NOT ENOUGH for all of those white blouses. Needless to say, these are all first-world problems and ameliorated by the sunshine. In truth, I need much less at this moment than ever before…the yin and yang of life.
Admittedly, there is an aspect of living in our beautiful Garden of Eden that I had not considered. The reality is that in a world where so many are older, as we are, it is easy to become invisible. We must all look alike to those much younger. Our hair is graying; our skin isn’t glowing, and our bodies are not as toned as they once were. It is easy to see us as part of a unit…those of a certain age. We lose our individuality, and for a generation that fought to be unique, that is a bitter pill to swallow. But being one to not give up or give in, I have an antidote that I keep in the front of my mind whenever it is applicable. I remind myself that I am older, but I have life experiences, which make me wiser. And then I pull out my best weapon-a warm smile and a kind word. Works like a charm…learning from life’s experiences!
The best part of our move is that we brought with us more than a cache of cartons and containers. We brought all of our precious memories deeply embedded in our hearts and souls. We also brought with us the knowledge that there are more memories to be made, and this is an important time of life to do so. There really is joy in knowing that others we meet have the same goal, hearts and arms are wide open, and we are ready to fully embrace that wonderful feeling!