Tired of winter? Ready for spring? I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty tired of seeing white stuff fall from the sky. Here in western North Carolina we’ve had one of the coldest winters on record. And it’s included plenty of snow, leaving me pining for the signs of spring.
What signals spring for you? Is it the new leaves budding on the trees? The first blossoms? For many it’s being able to get out and preparing their gardens. Whether it’s flowers, vegetables, herbs or a combination of all of them, there is just something about digging in and planting that is therapeutic. In fact there are plenty of articles out there that will tell you exactly what the benefits of gardening can be, for example, stress relief.
Even me, someone who has long come to realize my thumb is far from green, can find enjoyment in adding small plants to containers and watching them grow and bloom. Are you anxious to get your garden on? Share it with us in the comments section below or via your own post in the Boomer Voices section. And don’t forget, Baby Boomer News has a section called “Can You Dig It” for those gardeners among us.
With the lighting of the torch this past Friday, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia have begun. I’m an avid fan of the games, watching them rather than normal television fare for two weeks. You can’t help but feel invigorated by the youthful exuberance of the athletes. The Olympics are for the young. Right?
You might be surprised. There’s the Canadian curler Carolyn Darbyshire-McRory who at 46 years old (my age) is the oldest Olympian on the Canadian team. And before you use the excuse that curling isn’t exactly a sport that requires youthfulness, let me inform you that she isn’t the oldest Olympian competing at the 2010 games. There is also 51 year old Hubertus von Hohenlohe, the lone Olympian representing Mexico in Alpine Skiing.
And I’d bet that both of these athletes have the same exuberance that the younger set have. After all, being over 40 didn’t dampen Dara Torres’ excitement about competing in the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. It also didn’t stop her from bringing home three silver medals.
It’s inspiring for me to see these Boomer aged athletes. It makes me realize that age really is just a number and that dreams are attainable no matter what that number is. Do you have thoughts on Baby Boomers in the Olympics? Or are you reaching for dreams? Share your story with us here in the comments area or through the Boomer Voices section.
