60

Today I am sixty years and no days old. Yesterday I traveled two hours west and visited Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (in Ottawa County, Ohio – not Canada!), Magee Marsh, and Howard Marsh. If you do the math you’ll realize I got up very early to have caught the sunrise when I arrived there! I made a playlist of songs-that-make-me-happy to listen to on the drive out, and downloaded a pre-curated Apple Music playlist of Broadway show tunes for the ride back. I thought a lot about the fact that if I’m lucky I have about 20 years or so left of this life, and the fact that ten years ago I fully expected not to see my 60th birthday. I thought about all the things I’ve done and places I’ve seen over the last ten years (started a new job; saw Sam through high school, college, and now young adulthood; went to London, the Cotswolds, Paris, Florence, New Zealand; survived cancer and a pandemic; started birdwatching and photography and blogging). My 50’s were incredibly full, with glorious highs and heartbreaking lows.

And now I’m in my 60’s. I know that I can only plan so much, that sometimes life does throw curveballs. I also know that we can create a life that makes us contented. We can seek out small daily joys, we can save and plan for travel and experiences, we can choose what we allow into our heads and souls and bodies, and how we spend our free time. I want my 60’s, and the rest of my life, to be more intentional. I want to never forget that each day is a gift, and I want to honor that gift, each and every day.

Thank you for being here, for being so kind in your feedback about this blog. Thank you also for all of the birthday greetings I’ve received from near and far.

Love,

Michelle xoxo