Day of Hope #143 - Wednesday November 13, 2024
Goal: Celebrate another year of life by practicing self-love, appreciating the woman I've become, and enjoying a day devoted entirely to me.
Quote: “Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.” – Unknown
Another Birthday Month, Another Day of Hope!
November is one of my favorite months. Why? Because it's my birthday month! And this year, I was celebrating 55 years of life. Fifty-five! How did that happen? Ha! But seriously, I am incredibly grateful for every single one of those years. The good ones. The difficult ones. The years that challenged me. And the years that brought wonderful surprises.
Every November is another gift. And I certainly hope I have many, many more of them!
This month's Day of Hope was going to be a two-part celebration. A little time for myself during the day, followed by an afternoon and evening with a dear friend who shares my birthday.
I had plenty of other things I could have been doing. I needed to work on Hopes Highways. I had boxes to pack for my upcoming move. And, as always, there were things waiting on my to-do list. But I made a decision.
Today was going to be about self-love. The boxes could wait. The business could wait. Everything else could wait. Because today, I wanted to celebrate me. Starting With Gratitude. I began the morning by sleeping in. Oh, how I love my comfortable bed! As I lay there, I started thinking about how grateful I was to have it.
A big, comfortable king-size bed. A warm home. A safe place to sleep. So many things we take for granted every day. And yet, there are people who don't even have a bed. That thought stayed with me. Sometimes gratitude isn't about the big, exciting things happening in our lives. Sometimes it's about appreciating the everyday comforts we barely notice.
I didn't have to get up and rush anywhere. I could simply enjoy being warm, comfortable, and safe. What a wonderful way to begin my Day of Hope.
A Morning of Taking Care of Me
Once I finally got out of bed, I started my self-care routine. First, I used my red-light therapy mask. Then I spent some time on my exercise machine. I wanted to take care of my body and feel good. Not because I was trying to change everything about myself.
But because I wanted to appreciate and care for the body that had carried me through 55 years of life. Then I took a nice, long, hot shower. And yes, I found myself feeling grateful for hot water, too! Seriously. How wonderful is it that we can turn on a faucet and enjoy a hot shower whenever we want? It's one of those little luxuries I don't want to take for granted.
After my shower, I put curlers in my hair. I'm trying to keep my hair healthy, so I decided to give it a break from the curling irons and blow-dryers. A little extra care never hurts. And then something happened that made me smile. Looking at My 55-Year-Old Face. I stood in front of the mirror. No makeup. No fancy hairstyle. Just me. My 55-year-old face.
And instead of looking for wrinkles, flaws, or things I wanted to change, I found myself feeling grateful. Grateful for the woman looking back at me. Grateful for everything she had survived. Grateful for everything she had accomplished. And grateful for the life she was still creating.
I looked at my face and thought about all the experiences that had brought me to this moment. The challenges. The heartbreaks. The lessons. The victories. The laughter. The love. And yes, even the battle scars. Because those experiences had helped shape the woman I had become.
And you know what? I really liked her. I liked who I was at 55. I liked the confidence I had gained. I liked the strength I had developed. And I liked that I was finally learning to appreciate myself without needing to be perfect. What a wonderful feeling. For so many years, I had been busy raising my family, working, and taking care of everyone else. And now, at 55, I was learning how to give some of that same love and attention to myself.
I wasn't looking in the mirror wishing I were younger. I was appreciating the privilege of growing older. And I hoped I would have many more birthdays to celebrate.
Courage, Candles, and Quiet Time
After getting ready, I made myself some tea and spent a little time writing. I was still thinking about how grateful I was to be alive.
Then I lit a special candle I had purchased at a gift shop. It was a Reiki energy candle called Courage. I loved the message printed on the label: “Let me harness my fears in a positive way to create strength in different situations. Give me a warrior's confidence to do what is right, not what is easy.” Oh, I loved that!
Especially the part about having the confidence to do what is right instead of what is easy. Because life doesn't always give us easy choices. Sometimes the right decision is difficult. Sometimes it requires courage. And sometimes it means believing in ourselves when we're not entirely sure how things will turn out.
I thought about the decisions I had made throughout my life. Some had been easy. Others had required every bit of courage I could find. But each one had helped bring me to where I was today. And I was proud of that. I spent about 30 minutes listening to chakra meditation music. Just relaxing. Breathing. Enjoying the quiet.
Then I headed to my favorite Starbucks to collect my free birthday drink. Because if Starbucks wants to help me celebrate my birthday, who am I to argue? Ha! Afterward, I came home, turned on my fireplace, and sat quietly. No television. No computer. No phone calls. Just the fireplace and me. And it was wonderful.
Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself is a little uninterrupted peace.
Birthday Girls' Afternoon!
Later in the day, I met up with one of my dear girlfriends. We share the same birthday, so we decided to celebrate together. Our first stop was a place called Magical Foot Spa. I thought we were going for a fancy foot massage. You know, sitting in a comfortable chair, soaking our feet, and getting pampered. Well...
Apparently, I didn't quite understand what I had signed up for. Ha!
Well, I Wasn't Dressed for THAT!
When we walked into Magical Foot Spa, I realized this wasn't exactly what I had imagined. There were about 20 small massage beds in one large room. And the treatment included a 30-minute foot massage and a 30-minute body massage. Sounds wonderful, right? Except I had shown up wearing a sweater and a turtleneck. A turtleneck! Not exactly the ideal outfit for a full-body massage. Oh, good grief.
But we were there, so I decided to go with it. They brought out a large wooden bucket filled with warm water. I lay back on the massage bed and placed my feet in the bucket. Then the massage began.
They worked on my face, neck, and arms. Then they took my feet out of the water and massaged my legs and feet. After that, I turned over so they could work on my back, neck, and legs. It was quite the experience! And despite my wardrobe choices, I enjoyed it.
But I definitely learned something. Next time, I will dress appropriately! Ha! I would absolutely go back. Now that I know what I'm getting myself into.
Dinner and a Movie
After our massages, we headed out for dinner. We enjoyed soup and salad and spent time visiting. I love having friends I can laugh with, share experiences with, and celebrate life's little moments alongside.
Then we headed to the Majestic Theater to see a movie starring Tom Hanks called Here. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. But it turned out to be a very thoughtful movie. Here: Life Keeps Moving. The movie Here follows different families and generations through time, all connected by one location. Much of the story takes place in the same living room. The people change. The furniture changes. The families change. But life continues.
People fall in love. Raise families. Experience heartbreak. Celebrate milestones. Grow older. And eventually, their time in that space comes to an end. Then someone else comes along. It was a fascinating way to tell a story. And it really made me think. You have to pay attention to the movie to understand everything that's happening.
But the message I took away from it was powerful. Life is short. And it keeps moving. Whether we're ready or not. The world doesn't stop when our chapter ends. Other people will move into our homes. Other families will create memories. Other generations will experience their own joys and challenges. And life will continue.
That might sound a little sad. But I didn't see it that way. I saw it as a reminder. Don't Wait to Live Your Life. As I watched the movie, I kept thinking about how easy it is to put things off. We tell ourselves we'll travel someday. We'll spend more time with friends when we're less busy.
We'll try something new when we have more confidence. We'll take care of ourselves when everyone else is taken care of. We'll pursue that dream when the timing is better. But what if the timing never feels perfect? What if we keep waiting? And waiting? And waiting? The movie reminded me that life is happening right now.
Not when we're younger. Not when we're older. Not when we retire. Not when the house is paid off. Not when everything is finally finished. Right now. And that message meant even more to me because I was celebrating another birthday. At 55, I knew I had already lived through many chapters of my life. Some wonderful. Some difficult. Some I would gladly relive. And some I was grateful to have behind me.
But I also knew I had more chapters to write. And I wanted them to be meaningful. I wanted to keep traveling. Keep learning. Keep creating. Keep loving. And keep finding new ways to share hope. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life waiting for permission to enjoy it. No matter your age, the time to do what matters is now.
Ending the Day My Favorite Way
After the movie, I headed home. It had been such a wonderful day. I had taken care of myself. Spent time reflecting. Celebrated with a dear friend. Enjoyed a massage. Had a nice dinner. And watched a movie that gave me plenty to think about.
But I wasn't quite finished. There was still one more thing I wanted to do. Take a bath! Of course! I filled the tub, put on some relaxing spa music, and soaked for about an hour. Oh, it felt wonderful. As I lay there, I thought about the day. And I smiled.
Not bad for a Wednesday, eh?
I don't want to spend my life wishing I could go backward. I want to keep moving forward and make the most of every year I'm given.
And if that means a few more wrinkles, a few more gray hairs, and a few more battle scars? Well, that's okay with me. They are part of my story.
My Lesson of Hope: Growing older is something to celebrate, not something to fear. Every year is a gift, and every experience helps shape the person we become. Take time to appreciate your body, your life, your accomplishments, and even the battle scars that remind you how far you've come. Don't wait for a special occasion to show yourself love, and don't postpone the things that matter until someday. Life keeps moving, whether we're ready or not. Celebrate who you are today, be grateful for the years you've been given, and keep creating a life you're excited to live. The best way to honor the gift of another year is to truly enjoy it.
