BoomerGirl Diary

When I returned to New York, after 33 years, to attend a wedding with my daughter, we were invited to stay with the one and only friend from those times that I had kept in contact with. She had visited me some years ago, and we had been in contact ever since. She had also attended one of my workshops at Rancho Encantado around my book "Fifty and Beyond; New Beginnings in Health and Well-Being."

Jennifer was excited to know that we were planning on being in New York and enthusiastically and generously offered to pick us up at the airport on Long Island, take us to her home for a couple of nights and then send us off on the Long Island Railroad to the city where we would spend the next couple of days.

Meeting old friends

The trip turned out to be so much better than I had anticipated and being back in a once-familiar environment was sweet. Having Jennifer pick us up when we returned from our city trip, taking us back to her house, meeting old friends for dinner, and then taking us to the airport the following morning was so supportive. And she smiled all the way through the visit, interspersed with laughter and good humor.

Satisfied with decisions made

Yes, being with Jennifer was a delight, but equally as delightful was seeing the life she had created for herself. Divorced from her husband for many years, she was completely relaxed and satisfied with the way her life had unfolded and with the decisions she had made.

Being actively involved

A former librarian, she was still actively involved with the library in her small town where she also worked as a volunteer. She lived practically in the center of this charming North Shore town located on Long Island Sound, which was quaint and attracted tourists as well as providing ferry transportation across the Sound to Connecticut. Her house was small and easy to maintain and she had close-by access to the railroad when she wanted to visit her children in the city.

Traveling with friends

Every year she traveled with friends to a different part of the world and seemed to thoroughly enjoy these trips. Another avid reader, she had lots of time to pursue her most enjoyable interest. It's hard to think of her except for a smile on her face and laughter in her voice. She'd like to lose weight but feels that giving up her smoking habit was more important to her health.

Goodbye stress

Of all the people I know, she seems to have eliminated the word "stress" from her vocabulary. Now, isn't that a gift!!