Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis
I love to read books, and I love to write, but that’s not always been the case. When I was younger, I only read what was required for school and a few age-appropriate magazines. Somewhere along the journey, I was introduced to the pleasure of reading great novels or historical fiction. I experienced the magic of being transported to another place. Then, I expanded to personal growth literature, which changed my life.
I love to get into a book; every chapter is like a shot of adrenaline. What’s coming next? Where is the story going, and where will it end? I think of life as a never-ending string of chapters. When this earthly chapter is over, we’ll just continue to turn the pages and experience unimaginable episodes!
Everyone has a story, not just famous people who have their biographies written. Do you reflect on the story of your life? The chapters might include childhood, school years, early adulthood, marriage, children, career, empty nest, and retirement. Maybe your life has chapters that include military service, travel, hobbies, friendships, grandchildren, and more. Do you think of getting older and writing the best chapter of your life? This chapter could be about a personal time with attention to your own needs and desires (not about your family; they’re writing their own.) It could be about becoming your authentic self, a time of self-expression and redefinition. It could be a chapter about the pursuit of your passions. This should be the best chapter of your life. You’re the author; keep writing!
"To know how to grow old is the master work of wisdom and one of the most difficult chapters in the great art of living." Herman Melville