I Can Drive Fifty-Five!
I woke up on New Year’s Day with Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55” playing over and over again in my head. Why? I have no idea. I haven’t heard that iconic rock song in years but I sure did like it along with the MTV video that debuted in 1984.
Little did I know this song was going to be my inspiration for the start of the 2022 year. As I watched the video and listened to the lyrics, it became apparent that Sammy Hagar was frustrated by the speed limit while driving his fire engine red Ferrari 512 Berlinetta. He felt restrained because driving a car like that easily revs up way past the legal speed limit and before you know it you are being pulled over for going 120mph. So Hagar had to be mindful about his speed and maintain a 55mph (double nickels) speed limit.
Well, this is the year I just happen to be turning fifty-five and I don’t want to have any restraints or limits on what I can or can’t do at my age. I want to continue to push myself with workouts and daily walks. I will keep going to concerts, sporting events, and art exhibitions. I will learn something new everyday. I will continue to enjoy my family and friends to the fullest. I will travel, hike, wear bikinis, dance, read, write, and play with my puppies. I will continue to fill myself up in my faith. I don’t want to maintain a certain ‘speed limit’ on any of these things.
I will, however, partake in the benefits and perks of being a ‘senior’ citizen. I’m excited to receive discounts at certain restaurants, retail stores, museums, and to get free popcorn at the movie theater. There are many tax-free benefits that being 55 and older can bring to the table as well. I also need to look into travel deals. Apparently, we get breaks on hotel, airline, and rental car accommodations!
So as we get older we have to deal with weird ailments and body changes. I’m not excited about colonoscopies, menopause, raging hormones, and sleep deprivation among other issues. I guess it’s par for the course. It’s all part of aging. It is what it is. I mean I could use the wrong pillow, sleep in a different position, sneeze, or bend down to tie my shoes and have a nonfunctional back for a couple days. The next week I could be looking all over the house for my readers and they are sitting on top of my head. I’m hoping laughter will serve as the best medicine.
I think turning fifty-five will allow me a sense of freedom to let go a little at a time: whether a bad memory, a negative habit, a toxic friend. Bit by bit we shed what no longer serves us until we are able to reveal who we are underneath it all. It’s our mental attitude that will help to push past boundaries so we can age gracefully and not waste this lovely life we are given. Humor has already helped me a bit with the challenges, changes, and unexpected obstacles. I’m hoping that a playful spirit, lots of belly laughing, and shared stories can help us speak wise truths and bear the unbearable.
I’m going to look past my wrinkles and my aches and my pains and try to do a little more than what’s allowed. Try to push it to the limit and rev it up because we can’t turn back the odometer…but we CAN drive fifty-five.
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
~ Mark Twain
