This week I complete my 85th year on the planet. I love that my birthdays always inaugurate the New Year and thus not only promote, but deepen my reflections. As I review the contents of my closets and files getting ready for 2025, I notice something new floating in— an awareness of my diminishing number of remaining days, and the two choices I have for my “stuff”.
Who was Aunt Martha Anyway? What of my old writings do I want to turn into a memoir that shares with others my unique journey on the planet? What doesn’t Aunt Martha need anymore? What parts of my existence are ready for trash, recycling, or gifts to others?
I’m a person who reflects….and each several years the questions that my soul offers become less abstract and more personal. From “What do I want to do in life? to “What do I most want to do during these my remaining days?” From “What’s a good death?” to “How can I Iocate the end-of-life caretaking services this solo-ager may need?” And the newest one: “Shall I actually downsize to a smaller apartment to make it easier on the nieces and nephews who will make the final decisions of what to keep or toss?
Check in with your soul. As we begin a new year, what important questions are seeking your attention these days?