Month: September 2026

I still have things to accomplish in my last quarter of life (that’s assuming I live to 100). Yet, I am reminded in recent weeks that I do not want to live my life in continual urgency. I have noticed the way one of my friends seems to be in a constant state of urgency. I do not desire this approach to life.

I am slowing down (trot verses gallop as I recently wrote in this blog) and resisting the pressure to constantly rush, achieve, or react. I want to remain present and trust that everything does not need to happen right away. Oh, yes, there are things that need to be done with some immediacy like feeding Gitch when I am away from home all day. Even then, I want to find peace in the process.

I have known for some time that as much as I enjoy writing, I could never be a journalist with last-minute deadlines. I use due dates as suggestions. One of my best friends as an undergraduate, always completed assignments only at the last minute. She justified that something could happen to her before the deadline and she would have wasted all that time if she worked ahead of time. Not me. I always wanted to have a day or two to spare so I did not have last minute pressure.

Life without a sense of urgency looks more intentional, present, and peaceful. I still have goals and responsibilities, but don’t feel like everything must happen immediately. I like to have time to make decisions carefully without pressure. I like the idea of a natural pace, although I am not always sure what that means. More than ever before in my life, I enjoy resting. A power nap in the afternoon, which is refreshing, does not mean I am lazy.

As I write, however, I also recognize that urgency cannot be ignored when thinking about the injustices occurring in the world.  Issues such as climate change and AI cannot be ignored. Although I may be able to control the sense of urgency in my life, I am also conflicted by the need to “do something” as soon as possible. A quandary, indeed.

I wish I had the energy to do more, but I don’t. Therefore, I want to be aware of issues and try to settle back at the same time. I am striving to live with purpose and not pressure, and to balance what that means.

“If she can do it, you can do it.” That was the statement I heard from a young woman talking to her 7-year-old son as they trudged up the Alpine Ridge Trail, also known as Huffer’s Hill, at Rocky Mountain National Park.

During my “rove” break when volunteering at the Alpine Visitor Center, I always make the 1/3-mile trek up this popular stone step trail. Wildflowers are marked along the way and the views at 12,005 feet looking down on the Alpine Visitor Center are worth the walk.

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the comment by this parent, but I suspect my white hair carried a certain connotation that I was not likely to make it. It reminded me of another encounter I had had over 30 years ago during a 15k road race.

It was a typical hot and humid summer Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina. I had been racing regularly for years, and this event was a new one for me. I felt good and was running my consistent 8–9-minute miles.

A young woman came up behind me and started to pass on one of the hills. She nodded at me and then said, “I hope I can run as good as you when I get to your age.” What does one say to that? I nodded back and said, “Thanks, I hope you can too.  Have a good race.”

These two incidents remind me of how lucky I have been to be able to do what I can do. Although I have felt less confident in my abilities in the past three years, I am grateful for all the miles and hikes that I have had over the years. It also reminds me not to make assumptions about what age means.

I applaud Dale Sanders, known by his trail name “Grey Beard,” who is the 91-year-old Navy veteran who just became the oldest person in history to complete a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. I am not going to undertake such a feat, but I admire the people I have heard about through social media as well as the oldest adults in my community who keep on trekking.

I hope my efforts as well as those all around me continue to inspire little boys as well as young women to keep up their physical efforts. I also continually remind myself that “I can do it!”