I am what is euphemistically called a “senior citizen.” By the way, how come there are no “junior citizens”? I guess “old” can conjure up negative images, but, for me, it evokes interest. I have always been drawn to old things, old places, and old people. Early on, I began asking old people about their take on life and what and why and how we do things in the interval between birth and death. I felt that by virtue of having lived a long time, they would have the answers. It turned out they didn’t, but I did get a great deal of good advice and philosophical tidbits to ponder.

In my own life, I’ve worn a lot of hats along the way—student, teacher, IT specialist, manager, therapist/counselor, consultant, writer, wife, mother, grandmother. I’ve travelled a bit in Europe, Canada, and the U.S., and I’ve lived in some exceptional and beautiful places, especially New York City and the north Georgia mountains where I now live. I found all of it rewarding at times, very difficult sometimes, but always interesting.

Now, I’m rounding the home stretch, and I’m especially interested in exploring this incredible phase of life. To be sure, we face inevitable loss, grief, pain, illness, and other negatives at this point. But they are not reserved for this phase only, and earlier phases have given us some practice in handling them. All of that notwithstanding, I see this phase as an adventure—one in which there are still things to do, to learn, and much to understand on a deeper level. I’m looking forward to exploring it together with other seniors who’d like to go on this adventure with me.

Julie Winslett
February 2024.