Baby Boomers Needs and Wants

Yes, I am 62.  Do I like it? NO!  Since I can’t change it, I will start by listing a few things that I want.  This will be fun!

1. Do you remember Chubby Checker and his song, Do The Twist?  Just for today I would like to hear that song and twist again like we did last summer.  Yes, twist and take it ALL AWAY DOWN.  I want to take it to the ground without loosing by breath but the pain from arthritis will not allow that.
2. Then I want to get the hula hoop and swing it around my waist;  take it all away up my arm, back down to my waist and down to the ankles.  Without loosing a beat, I want to bring it right back up to the waist and swing it baby, swing it!  Since my hips and upper portion will not cooperate, forget that for today!  The pretty pink hula hoop can be donated to my great grand kids.
3. I want to listen to Elvis Presley sing, Love Me Tender and Jail House Rock.  When I sweat, I want to sweat for the reason that I did when I was Sweet 16 as I watched Elvis move HIS body and sing only to me on the big screen.  Now I sweat just getting from my air conditioned car and walking to the Cinema.
4. Oh my, how I remember screaming when Tom Jones came on stage.  I would love to feel and scream like that again.   I dare not scream that loud or my lungs might collapse.
5. My childhood friends and I use to see who could do the best back bend.  I want to do that again too.  Now I know I must be dreaming on that one.  It is a chore just to bend forward and touch my toes.

Now I am going to list a few things that might be possible if I keep a positive attitude.

1. Since I work, I would love to take a vacation to one of the small towns that I saw on smalltownretirement.com and DO ABSOLUTELY nothing!  You got it!  I am tired.  We boomers need a break today!
2. If at all possible, I would like to be able to save enough money to live in one of those over 55 communities.  I need socialization NOT  isolation at my age.
3. Being single brings on another thought.  Do I age in place or check out some skilled nursing facilities. At least I don’t have to do that today.  I am NOT THERE YET!  As I have said before though, I have to get busy looking into long term care insurance since Medicare does not fully cover skilled nursing in certain situations.
4. With a little planning it might just be possible to work nine months a year.  Then I could write more blogs because I really like doing this.  It is fun!

This is today, not yesterday or tomorrow so here is how it really is.

1. I am grateful for the health that I have.  My sense of humor gets me through some tough times.
2. My children and grandchildren make me proud.
3. I have a wonderful employer.
4. Each day is different.  Nothing is all bad or all good.  It is just how it is.
5. I still have the ability to choose the type of person that I want to be.

Just for today, I may not have ALL that I want, but I have what I need.  Tomorrow is a new day.  There are many people out there in the world just like me.  It is what is in our hearts that sets us Free!  Remember the Love Boomers spoke of back in the day.  We still have IT.  We are still free to be!

Originally posted 2011-04-20 20:49:17.