Today is August 25th. It is my friend’s birthday. He turns 70. We have been friends for a long time. Like me he was born in a small town in Tanzania. In pursuit of education he traveled through many cities and countries. Eventually he settled in Canada.
Over the years he has learned many lessons. Lessons on how to be happy, healthy and comfortable. He learned the importance of raising a good family and having good friends. He learned the art of working hard and to be happy with his coworkers.
I rarely heard him whine and complain. His principle was to mind his own business but be helpful to people who needed help. He was always funny and courteous. He never brags about himself. In fact, he thrives on self-deprecating humor.
It sounds like he is a perfect man. Not really. His youth was far from perfect. He had his share of ups and downs. From time to time he did disappoint some people and hurt some feelings. He has many regrets. But life is never going to be perfect. His motto is to learn from the past and do better in the future.
Now that he is 70, he wonders how he can make the best of whatever time he has. Who knows what will happen once he goes underground. I don’t think he will find beautiful mermaids. If he is lucky he may find some angels. Nobody has been back from the grave to tell us what to expect down under.
For both sexes in Canada, life expectancy increased on an average from 77 in 1990 to 82 in 2012. Not everyone wants to retire at 65, and very few people want to slow down. Statistics show more than one-fifth of recently retired seniors return to work.
The 72-year lifestyle guru, Martha Stewart, has written about aging gracefully and staying healthy, feats which involve ‘maintaining a tiny waist’, among other factors. According to Stewart, 70 is nothing like the 70 of 20 or 40 years ago. She says, “70 is the new 50!”
Staying healthy goes along with working and keeping mentally and physically active. One way to stay healthy is to read a book written by yours truly and follow the advice given in “Dr. B’s Eight Steps to Wellness.” The book covers topics like healthy eating, no smoking, regular exercise, stress relief, good sleep, sexual empowerment, laughter and regular meditation. I wonder if my friend has the book!
So dear friend, turning 70 is a good time to look forward to life of some comfort and some hard work. That should not be too difficult as long as you can keep your head in the right place.
Happy birthday friend.
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