I'm dusting off my Philosophy for Life and retooling it for present day. My Philosophy is DO IT WHILE I CAN (DIWIC). I did have other philosophies, but this one has the best acronym. Perhaps it'll catch on and I can trademark it! I believe it should be right next to the Golden Rule. The Rule carries a little more weight, but hear me out why DIWIC should be a close second.
I'm only going to say this once. I am getting older. My image in the mirror is a little less appealing. The comments on the street, less frequent. I have a pair of blue jeans that require pliers to get the zipper up and I avoid selfies. (Perhaps we all should.)
I've always had this Philosophy/Mission Statement--DIWIC. But because of this revelation about the "age" thing, I have re-evaluated it and put it back into high gear. DIWIC begs the question: What is IT? IT is clearly going to be different for everyone and IT changes as I change and age.
I would say from age 15-35, IT was synonymous with "have a good time." So I did. I partied in high school. Partied in college. Partied with co-workers and strangers. Don't worry. I did more than just drink away those years. I travelled. I met Italian men in the shadow of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I gambled in Macau and drank Mekong whiskey in northern Thailand. I moved to NY, to Denver, back to NY. I worked. I skied, I hiked. Got my heart broken, broke some hearts, etc., etc. I tried to be a good daughter, sister, and wife.
My first child was born when I was 37. That's about the time the disco ball quit spinning. Odd coincidence. Motherhood was upon me. My DIWIC Philosophy changed. I would say it was akin to shifting a 1960 Karmann Ghia without using the clutch. Tricky, noisy, scary, crazy fun, yet possible. My IT was about becoming a good mother now. That involves a few things I won't go into it here. Truth be revealed, I'm not sure what it involves. That knowledge will be bestowed upon me the day my last child graduates. That's how life works.
Shifting DIWIC into high gear has just made me a little more deliberate in my choices. One glass of wine(as opposed to the bottle) so I can run the next day. No sausage before yoga. Downward Facing Dog, pig in my gut, and a burp trying to surface is not to be envied. Breaking myths. It's okay to bike ride in the rain. We don't melt, despite our collective knowledge from "The Wizard of Oz." Do throw in a few Ted Talks and crossword puzzles for brain exercise.
So, DIWIC. My co-worker's husband used to be a runner. He's had a stroke and is now handicapped. My mother-in-law and I rode bikes a couple years ago. Her balance was a little wobbly. My Dad died eighteen months ago.
So, DO IT WHILE YOU CAN.
