Today’s
“To Do” list:
1. promote
blog, novel, and t-shirt designs
2. work full day with second graders (no lesson plans or instructions left, but other
grade level teachers pulled rabbits out of their hats with plenty of activities
for me)
3. run
errands with husband and son
4. do
both cardio and weights at the gym
5. grab
dinner
6. write
new blog post, promote t-shirt designs, and plug novel
7. fall
into bed (in satisfied exhaustion)
Sometimes, I hate to think about what my
life would be like if I’d never retired to care for Mom. I know The Golden Bracelet would only exist in
the back of my mind. I don’t believe I would’ve started my blog, Swing in a Tree. The isolated role of
caregiver forced me into a creative format to connect to the world around me. My
recent foray into t-shirt design spawned from a desire to share my photography
to a wider audience than my Facebook, Twitter, and blog followers. I want to
experiment with another income that comes from my interests and talents instead
of continuing to embed myself within the public educational system.
As I move into my sixties, having health
problems appear inevitable. I’ve changed everything I eat during the last nine
months. My energy levels soared! A few months ago, I added cardio and weights
into my life again. I haven’t worked my exercise routine into a habit that I
miss when I skip, but by this summer I may reach that goal.
For me, setting new goals means I’m
continuing to grow and change. A constant worry that I always carry in the back
of my mind is that I could still have Huntington’s disease. My mother’s late
onset means I might possibly have a few years of being symptom free. I
scrutinize every mood swing. I evaluate my fatigue at the end of a long work
day. I fret if I sense myself dragging my feet about a new project or learning
a new skill. These changes were Mom’s first: anxiety, mild depression,
lethargy, loss of interest hobbies.
The challenges added into my life, and
onto my “To Do” list, give me balance and hope.
Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman
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