The 52 Lists Project #5

Week #5: List what you would like your life to look like in ten years

Again, this seems to be a challenge more suited for a younger person…one with more life ahead of them. My first inclination is to make jokes: I could describe my ideal cemetery plot, or list any number of glib responses like:

“I’d like to still be vertical.”

“Not yet in a home.”

“Above ground.”

“Still able to feed myself.”

These are all true statements, but indicative of the age-bias that I still seem to hold onto (having been a part of the generation that didn’t trust anyone over the age of thirty and sang, “…Hope I die before I get old!”), though I’m old enough to be affected by it. When it comes right down to it, I still make plans for far into the future, though I passed the median life expectancy many years ago.

• I would like to be self sufficient and strong
• with my mental faculties still intact.
• I would hope to be retired from working for others.
• I would like to be taking long walks every day
• I plan to still keep up a large garden
• and maybe finally add a small flock of chickens.
• I would still be active in art-making
• and possibly still teaching a bit.
• I’d possibly have built my wood fire kiln,
• and be working a great deal more in clay.
• I’d like to think I’d be “known” by then, for my art or my writing (perhaps a book or two?)
• and that I’d get some travel in, to art openings or bookstores, for promotional purposes.
• I hope my sisters and I will still find opportunity to get together, and that we’ll continue to have plenty to laugh and talk about,
• that my daughters will still appreciate my company
• and my friends will still be close.