McCain & Ginger at Brushy Creek Lake, IowaMy oldest son, McCain, is currently a freshman in high school. For his early April birthday, he mentioned he would like to go to the Nickelback concert. Not exactly my kind of music, but if I had to go to a concert, I’m okay with that group. Somewhere in the course of this monosyllabic conversation, he kind of figured out I was part of the plan and that was so not cool!
I remembered my first concert when I was a freshman: The “KISS Alive Tour”. And there would have been no way in hell I would have went with MY mom in tow! Thinking back, she would have only been 49 years old then! (Note I say “only” – I’ll get to the point soon.) I didn’t let him off the hook completely – told him I understand, but mentioned I kind of thought I was a “cool mom.” I got the “eye roll eye brow lift” that speaks volumes: “Yeah, right.”
I'm riding Windy at Kanopolis Lake, KansasMany times I look at other women who appear old, perhaps a bit tired looking. And studying them closely, it dawns on me that they may not be much older than me. Sometimes I am shocked to find out they are younger. I’m not saying I am representative of the fountain of youth or the epitome of good health -- I'm far from that! But there is some truth in the old adage that you are as young as you feel. I don’t feel 47 years old. I used to say I still feel 28, but my boys have aged me some. In my mind, I am 35. Not a day older! But thinking back to Mom during that time in my life, I can’t imagine her doing the things that I do. The most obvious, of course, riding a horse hundreds of hours and miles. I'm 35 in horse years!
I wonder if we never brought horses into our lives, what I would have been doing the last 10 years and how I would feel and look today. I do think horses keep me feeling young. They’ve inspired me to lose weight to lighten the load and improve my skills. They motivate me to want to be outside. And they’ve taken me places my own feet never could. And on many of these rides, I’ve shared them with friends who are older than me. Friends who also have horses in their lives. And when I see them running next to me on their horse with a smile a mile wide, I know they aren't a day over 35 either!
Rich & Kathy Newberg at Brushy Creek, Iowa
I’m pretty sure McCain thinks I’m not only “uncool”, but also a little bit crazy. And not the good crazy kind. Just wait until he brings home the girlfriend who secretly has loved horses all of her life and I ask her if she wants to go for a ride!
So how old are you in horse years?
They do keep us young that's for sure! Not only are horses good for our physical bodies, but they are good for our souls. And if your soul is young, then your body follows suit.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say my horse age is 16, then I remembered how awful 16 in real life really was, so I'm going to pick 28 because that was a really, really good year. :P
In my mind I am no more than 30. But my body tells me otherwise some days.
ReplyDeleteHorses and riding definitely do keep me active, and gives me a reason to keep...well...maybe not physically FIT, but at least physically ABLE. And I know my horse is rooting for me to succeed when I go on a diet! :)
And, no matter how cool you are "for a mom", your kids definitely don't want to show up at a concert with you!! ha
In my mind, I feel that time has stopped but the world has continued to move on.
ReplyDeleteHave to pinch myself that I'm 41. Maybe people are being nice when they say I look 30ish. I can see the lines though :)
I do think that having horses and close friends has kept us younger at least in spirit.
Not sure what I'd be doing if I didn't have those 2 hayburners out there, probably sitting on the couch eating potato chips, wait,I'm doing that now writing this to you :)
McCain looks like John in this pic! I agree...I look at some women and they look old, but they aren't active! I think when we are feeling old, we better get moving, then maybe we won't feel so old! lol
ReplyDeleteI am 4 years behind in this post, but I can relate to it so well. I darns sure don't feel like I am almost 50. I'm thinking more like 38 or so.
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