CHANGES

With the autumn change of weather, temperatures and colors, comes deep emotional reflection upon the changes in our own lives.

OK...maybe not.

But on occasion I DO think (for 2 minutes or less) that there are changes that I have NO control over, and some changes that I could initiate on my own.
Examples (you just KNEW I was going to go there, didn't you?):
EYESIGHT - When I was in my 20's I could see clearly that 1.68 inch golf ball 250 yards away (if it were My ball, it was usually on the green right next to the flag).
I could see a spider wink at me from 20 paces.
Now ~ I'm lucky to see the brand name "Titlist" on the golf ball as I squint at it sitting on my hand.
If a gorilla were standing 3 feet away from me, I might very well mistake him for our neighbor Sam.
HEARING ~ When I was younger, I could hear the grass grow..ok, maybe I could hear the mower.
Now, a cannon could go off in the hallway and I would think the dog passed a little gas. (by the way, these ARE just examples..we have no artillery in the house)

In my younger days (oooh, I promised myself that I would never say things that made ME wince when my PARENTS uttered them 50 years ago and now, look at me!), my skin was as tight as a sweater on Mariah Carey.
Now ~ my skin seems to move like Jerry Springer doing the cha cha on Dancing with the Stars.

Now there is not much that I can do about these changes in my body.
But I look at the things that I CAN change and wonder why I don't.
A widely used satirical definition on insanity is:
One who does the same action over and over and expects a different result.
That's me.

I still don't floss as much as I should and I get the same scolding every 12 years when I go to the dentist.
I still have small sip of diet coke now and then (well, not actually NOW...that is just a figure of speech) when I KNOW the studies tell us how bad carbonation and fake sugar is.
I still enjoy a martini on the rocks with a couple of olives followed by a keg of beer chaser on a rare celebratory occasion when I KNOW that kills a few brain cells.
I KNOW I don't pray enough giving thanks, but when I NEED something, I'm bending the ole knee like an Italian Grandmother at a funeral.
I can change these things in the future.
No need crying over spilled milk (I really didn't spill any milk...just another figure of speech).
But I can learn from some of the crazy things that I have done in the past that I wish I hadn't and try to change the impulse in the future.
Examples:
Curb my spending habits - buying 14 of the same hair ribbons because they are on sale ~ and I don't wear hair ribbons.
Stop the insanity of continuing to buy the weekly "reputables" that have miniscule value, other than I can sometimes keep up with the names of young celebrities and be able to engage in conversations with anyone under 35.
Keep on a budget. Maybe I should curb my support to just $5.00 for the neighborhood kids who come by regularly to offer a chance to assist their team in going to Figi for a soccer tournament. I feel like I should pay their entire plane fares. They all know I am a soft touch.
Improve my ping pong skills by practicing. I have come to believe that I can just WILL myself to do anything with professional skills rather than actually practicing.
This is immature thinking that can get me in trouble during tournament time.

Well, that is MORE than enough reflecting at this point.

I do know one change I will make in the future:
I will NOT approach a good looking 30 year old flag football coach named Joe to ask him if he is married. He said "NO" but quickly added with obvious fright on his face, "I AM seeing someone!" and he ran, not walked away.
This is before I could mumble, "I'm asking for my 26 year old friend, Jana, not me!"

I love Autumn.