I turn sixty-five today, which is weird and amazing. I look in the mirror and see me, only me, 2.0. It turns out that doing less has provided more. And not all of those “mores” have been easy to accept.

But if we are lucky, we get to keep learning. And for that, I am grateful for being a crone.

Let me get more specific. I like being older, wiser, and more comfortable in my skin. I’m not as fond of hip replacements, sagging parts, and sun damage, but that's the compromise we make.  It's all how we look at it.

Sixty-five has brought rich opportunities for both reviewing my life and dreaming the next chapters into being. Stepping out of the momentum tunnel of the past has allowed me to discern the thread of a new destiny. As old stories die, the future pulls me forward.

The isn’t a rewrite; it’s a rebirth.

Life is a series of small deaths and births. If I’d had more trust, I could have suffered less in the dying. But that had to die, too.

I became a Grandmother at sixty-three. I am 100% in love with my grandson.

The freedom that comes from not being the primary caregiver opens endless possibilities. I’m able to give George the love I was unable to give my sons.

I had it. I just didn’t know how to access it.

My grandmothers knew how to love and they poured it into me. Mamaw taught me how to cook and Rose Nell how to sew. Both taught me about God, faith, and responsibility. They weren’t educated, but they were wise. They were unassuming, but not passive.

It wasn’t what they said; it was what they did.

With the strength of mountains, my grandmothers helped plant the seeds of my becoming. I knew who I was with them and who I could grow up to be. Their steadfast tether gave me the courage to fly. They were my home.

I want to be that force for George. I can do that by showing up, listening, and being a fun but grounding force.

The hardest part is knowing he's going to get hurt facing the challenges in life. Part of me wants to protect him; the other part wants to initiate him. But since neither is my responsibility I've come up with a list of lessons I hope help him see the doorways within life's distress.

I’m not sure when I will give it to him. I guess I'll wait until he can read.

Hummingbird energy connects us to our heart, creativity, and soul's calling. Her magical ability to fly in all four directions as well as in stillness calls us to embark on our own epic journey.

George and I have some flying to do.