I’m sitting here in Mom’s assisted living apartment, watching her sleep.  I’ve been doing this a lot lately.  She’s 91 and very well cared-for here.  She also knows what phase of life she’s in.  She recently confided to me that dying of old age is very hard.  Yet another thing about which my mom is right.  

Selfishly and honestly, my 58-year-old body and spirit is wondering how I’ll handle being where Mom is now.   I have a feeling – a fear – I won’t do as well.  How silly is that?  Who thinks about that?  I do.  And maybe you do, too. 

When Norman Lear was recently asked what he’d tell others who wanted to be as vibrant and productive as he is at (now) 94.  He replied, “I think the two least considered small words in the English language may be ‘over‘ and ‘next‘. When something is over, [it’s] over. We’re onto next.” He said the “over and next” philosophy allows him to stay present and focused. “I live in that moment,” Lear said. “I mean this is it — this is the best conversation I could possibly be having, and it took me 93 years to get here.”

So for this moment I’m going to live in Learland. NEXT!