I don’t like it and, no matter what, I will never like it.

I will work with it as best I can and stay positive with it as much as possible. But nope, I don’t have to like it.

Would you like to know what “it” is? It is reaching that unmentionable milestone of 70 years of age.

For some reason I cannot accept this particular age bracket. Where did my time go? Do other people feel as I do? It seems like yesterday that I moved toFloridaand started a new life. Maybe I was so immersed in my work that time sped by so quickly. I would like to think I stopped to smell the roses occasionally. Yes, I’m sure I did, now that I think about it.

Right this minute, I am watching my grandson eat ice cream, knowing my brand new granddaughter is sound asleep in her crib. My grandson is three and a half and my granddaughter is just two weeks old. They live out of the country and that creates a challenge when I wish I could just drive over to see them.

I wasn’t here for my granddaughter’s birth as I was with my grandson… but I’m here now… a “smelling the roses” occasion like no other in the world. My children and their children are very important to me. They rock my world, in other words.

Seventy sounds old but it isn’t, really. Do I need to keep convincing myself of that? Probably.

The good news is, I have kept myself in decent shape. I am healthy and I don’t look my age – a blessing in itself. Every now and then some physical mishap takes place which I suppose I could attribute to aging. I try to laugh at most of it, I really do.

I will give you a for instance: “floaters” in front of my eyes. These are broken tissues that have popped up in the eyeball and you can see them doing just that: “floating.” They look like cobwebs and are a friendly reminder that your eyes are getting older.

Many of my friends are also in my age bracket. Others have already left us and gone to the other side, even a few who were much younger than I am now. I am blessed in many ways and I know this.

I guess sometimes age can be trying. I feel it’s an important factor to watch your weight, to work out or walk daily and stay active as much as your body allows. Read as much as you can and mingle with your friends when possible. Travel always when the opportunity arises but be thankful when doing so. When new individuals come into your life, learn from them and appreciate their knowledge.

I would say stop and definitely smell the roses. I feel by the time I am seventy-one I will be over it but for now I just won’t like it – this “70” milestone of mine.