29. Death can wait another day.
I used to think I wouldn’t live past forty. Live fast; burn out. It doesn’t work like that. I guess I thought that life wasn’t worth living past forty. What was the point? I wouldn’t want to go on. But I tell you, life is always worth living. You never reach a point where you want it over (at least I haven’t yet).
I’ve done more since I turned sixty than I did in the whole rest of my life before that.
Here I am at seventy-five. No sign of death. My blood pressure’s a bit up. My cholesterol level was raised. I developed type 2 diabetes. But, I changed my diet and lost twenty pounds. I take a few pills and hey presto everything is good.
My right hip aches sometimes but we walked five miles yesterday. No pain. I’m not in bad shape.
My eye-sight is OK. I have to wear glasses. One cataract op and another looming for next Wednesday. Can’t say I’m looking forward to that op, I don’t like the thought of someone rummaging around inside my eye, but if it keeps my eyesight functioning I’m OK with that.
I still enjoy driving and am happy to drive long distances. I want to drive around Europe!
I’m still writing about music.
Death can wait another day. I’ve got plans.
The Book of DEATH: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Ophe Opher, Goodwin, Opher: 9798294533908: Books
Well Opher, as usual, I agree with you a lot, but disagree about some fundamentals.
Yes, when you reach sixty, you start to understand the world around you. And when you get to seventy, you realize that you actually can make a difference.
I don’t have any cataracts, but I do suffer from extreme hyalosis in one eye, and I lost the central vision in the other when I had a mini-stroke 8 years ago. Your vision is curable by an operation, but mine is not. So I’d say, just lie back and let the anaesthetic take you. If the surgeons are any good, you won’t be worse off.
I am well on the way to recovery from my broken arm. I can drive again, but I don’t find any enjoyment in it, as the police are out to get anyone who exceeds totally arbitrary speed limits, that make safe drivers into “criminals” ripe for fining. It’s extortion. On the other hand, I do enjoy the comfort of being able to drive to the park (a mile away and 150 feet below) for my daily walk, and even more being able to put my foot down for the ride back!
Oh. and you’re still writing about music. And I’m still writing music! For the second year in a row, my entry to the Bandamonium composition competition got on the shortlist, but didn’t win. I’ll send you an mp3 if you want.
Cheers, Neil
I’d like to hear that Neil. Glad you are still writing music. Good stuff. Sounds as if you are well on the road to recovery – driving again. Have you got full flexibility yet? I too rail over speed limits!