I first thought about writing this as 10 things I want to be able to do when I’m 100, but I don’t really have a personal reference point for what 100 looks like. I do have more than a few examples of 90.
Some are still moving through the world with strength, humor, independence, and purpose. Others are still here, but their world has gotten very small.
That’s not judgment. That’s just my observation from the field.
So here’s my list.
1. Climb the eight flights of stairs from the locker room to the aerobic area for HIIT at our local Rec Center. Okay, maybe LIIT, where LI = “Lower Intensity,” not “Low Intensity.” Not because I need to prove anything. Because stairs are one of the simplest ways life tells you the truth.
2. Walk a mile and then lift a 50-pound, 7-year-old Great G-girl, one of my great-granddaughters, up for a hug. Walking matters. Strength matters. But the hug is the point.
3. Get down on the floor to play and get back up on my own. There is a full-body longevity test hiding inside playtime.
4. Ride my 2012 black Johnny Chaz Wrangler with a six-speed manual transmission. Clutch, shifter, open road. If someone refers to me as the old guy with white glasses in the black Jeep, I’m okay with that.
5. Step down from 12 inches and be able to step back up. That sounds like nothing until it becomes something. Balance and agility are independence.
6. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the GDBDC. The G-dad Birthday Club started this year when I turned 65. By the time I’m 90, some of my G-girls will be in their 30s. Some traditions earn their place by starting small and refusing to stay that way.
7. Rollerblade. Why stop? Not as fast. Not as creative. Just still moving.
8. Catch a wave on a boogie board. Salt water. Questionable form. Same big grin.
9. Dance with my wife, Linda. This one is not optional.
10. Wipe my own ass. There it is. The one nobody puts on a vision board.
The last two are the only ones Linda really cares about.
Maybe the real list is shorter than I thought: move well enough to stay independent, strong enough to stay useful, playful enough to stay alive, and grateful enough to keep dancing. Bottom line: it all comes back to Forward Motion.
Bonus: Keep sharing how I’m doing it.
Because 90 does not start at 90.
It starts today.