No Regrets???

I spent the afternoon with my mother today to celebrate her 84th birthday and while it was a nice afternoon, it did leave me with some thoughts on aging.  She keeps herself busy with swimming three days a week in addition to being an avid church goer.  She has a small group of friends that she tries to spend time with whenever she can, but as you can imagine, this number is dwindling quickly.  She has raised five children and she is an exceptional role model.  Her thoughtfulness is unmatched.  She never misses an anniversary, birthday, special occasion or opportunity to brighten some one's day.  She is always thinking of others and her compassion for others is unsurpassed. She is the most sincere and genuine person you will ever meet and yet, she lives with much regret. There are things she wishes she had done and things she wishes she could change.  I imagine we all live with some amount of regret, but,as we age, I wonder...

At what point does the tide turn?

When do we go from looking forward to looking back?  Recalling both joyous moments and sorrows with equanimity?

When do the memories we relive become blurred and faded?
When does our opportunistic life cease to be and it's shine become dull and tarnished?
When do we realize there are fewer days ahead of us than there are behind us?
At what point do we stop wanting and start settling?

Is this a natural cycle of life or can we change the tide?
Can we go out on a surf board or must we be strapped in a dinghy?
Can we limit our regrets and grow our expectations?
Can we spend more time being appreciative and enterprising and less time being resigned and disappointed?


I believe each of us will handle aging differently and it will be a personal challenge unlike any we may have faced in our younger years.  Our internal strength, will be the compass that guides us through the rough and difficult waters and our disposition, the looking glass through which we view our world.