Lee Zimmerman’s Senior Survival is presented by
Like many people of a certain age, I’ve come to a point in my life where I look at where I’ve been and where I still hope to go.
I must admit that I’m not entirely ready to rest on my laurels. After all, there are still things I’d like to accomplish. I still have big goals ahead of me, and I still need to reconcile what I originally hoped to attain with what I have, given the obstacles that have sometimes stood in my way. Truth be told, I would have loved to become a renowned actor or a successful musician in a popular rock band, even though I’ve always had to wonder if I had the talent to do either.
Still, I constantly imagine myself at a podium in a star-studded ballroom accepting an award for my accomplishments. I’d have an endless list of people to thank. My dogs would be near the top of the list.
Indeed, whenever I watch an award show, I envy those who have achieved that level of respect and recognition. Yes, I’m aware that those are distant dreams by any measure, especially late in one’s career. And yet, as I often tell people, I don’t really think in terms of mortality or how much or how little time I have before me. I simply want to succeed.
Consequently, when I realize that I haven’t reached that upper tier I aspire to, I’m disappointed, to say the very least. I’m often crushed by rejection, and too much of it tends to put me in a funk.
I suppose it’s all part of the need to reconcile the present with the past.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this in recent weeks — necessarily so, given that rejection of any kind tends to temper my optimism and satisfaction.
But I think I’ve come up with a mindset that allows me to appreciate what I have accomplished. For starters, I’ve achieved one of my major goals in life, and that is to live in a beautiful place, surrounded by gracious people and scenery that I’m able to gaze at every single day.
That place is called Blount County.
There’s more to consider, too. When I look at the plight of so many innocent people caught in the crossfire of war or the path of a natural disaster, I realize how fortunate I am never to have been in harm’s way. Yes, I survived a hurricane, and like many of us, I’ve had to deal with lowlife scammers who attempt to steal my personal information with their high-tech thievery. Even so, I have a comfortable bed to sleep in every night, a roof over my head, a beautiful wife, two lovely dogs (another shout-out to Buddy and Boo Boo!) and a wonderful place to call home.
Inevitably, that overshadows any disappointment about what I’ve yet to achieve. While it’s good to have goals and something to work toward, I’m pleased with all I’ve achieved.
After all, contentment is an elusive quality, and having found it is something to cherish deeply.
