Are We There Yet?
By Virginia (Ginny) Merritt
Estimated read, 3:10 min.
“Are we There yet? How much longer?” What parent hasn’t heard those words, sometimes repeatedly, from a child in the back seat on a longer than usual car ride? I find myself asking these same questions today when it comes to COVID, the economy, environment, and what’s next for me.
Many years ago, I found myself in a taxi on a dark, snowy, early morning in Edmonton heading from a hotel to the airport. My driver, from Tongo in West Africa, had reached his destination. I asked him, “How on earth did you happen to settle in Edmonton?” He responded, “You can go into a shoe store and try on every pair in the store, or you can simply buy the first pair that fits.” He continued with a light tone and a smile evident in his voice, “Edmonton fits”.
As life swiftly jigs, jags, jogs, and swirls around us, the question itself may evolve into, “Where am I?”, a question that is a reminder to continually evaluate our journey through this life, the map(s) we will need, the direction in which we will travel, the tools we’ll require, and if or where we will stop along the way.
To me our journeys are analogous to cross-country bus trips. (It wasn’t that long ago that there were cross-country buses in Canada.) You bought a ticket to the end of the line, or to a stop along the way, knowing that was as far as you intended to travel…for now. Your ticket told you when you had reached your destination, perhaps for schooling, a job, sabbatical, family responsibilities, volunteer work, and other life demands. It may be that you decided to get off the bus along the way, to check things out, stay a while, try something new, until it was time to hop back on and continue on your way.
When it comes to our individual lives, how do we know if we are there? Take COVID, for example. As mandates and restrictions are lifted across Canada and the pandemic is declared endemic, each of us must decide if we have arrived – or not. Decisions to venture forth into this new reality will, no doubt, vary by one’s comfort level, as well as personal risk assessments for medical and age reasons. The adventurous among us will burst forth and celebrate with a resounding, “We made it; it’s over!” Others will transition slowly and carefully, and continue to wear masks (indoors at least) during present and future winter cold and flu seasons. Are we ever there? How will we react if Mother Nature throws us a curveball, disguised as another deadly variant?
Today’s longer lifespans (a bonus of approximately 30 years) mean that retiring at age 65 will become an anomaly, for some out of choice, for others out of necessity. Bradley Schurman, author of The Super Age: Decoding our Demographic Destiny forecasts: (1)The number of workers over 75 will nearly double by 2030; (2) There will be more people over 65 than under 18 by 2034; (3) Thirty-five nations will have at least 1 out of 5 people over 65 by 2030; and, more surprising, (4) The first person to live to 150 has likely already been born. Living longer and healthier lives makes answering the question, “Am I there yet?” even more complex.
How are you planning to spend your thirty-year longevity bonus? Top Sixty has created a new course to help you gain insight and perspective, shift the ageing narrative, and point you in the direction in which you would like to head.
Jump on board. Read more about our 5-part course Fast Forward: Your Hundred Year Life below, then click the link to register.
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Image: https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/
Fast Forward: Your Hundred Year Life
Those born after 1945 have been given the gift of many more years to live, work and play, but there is no blueprint for what this could look like. Given the new map of life and the expectation of a longer and healthier lifespan, what will be the script for the rest of your life?
Join with others to shift the “ageing” narrative and begin the process of reinventing your future.
You will:
- Explore the values and beliefs that motivate you,
- Understand the importance and role of purpose,
- Identify blind spots to unleash potential,
- Reframe challenges and spot opportunity,
- Appreciate the influence of mindset on ageing.
This course is grounded in the work of personal development leaders including Simon Sinek, Carol Dweck, Arthur Brooks, and others. The group will be limited in size to maximize opportunity for collaboration and synergy.
Package of five weekly 90-minute sessions:
$379.00 CAD ($428.27 with HST)
Dates: March 30, April 6, 13, 20 & 27, 2022
Time: 1:00–2:30 pm ET
Register Now! Sessions limited to 10 participants.
REGISTER by emailing helen@topsixtyoversixty.com
Remit via PAYPAL
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"We Need to Talk": Age in the 21st Century.
Last year's "We Need to Talk" series was such a success that we decided to offer a variation on a similar theme, while making this into a subscription series to support Top Sixty as it continues to grow.
For those of you who have attended before, you know the conversations will be rich, the learning great, and the networking even better. Participants will be invited to co-generate, collaborate, or just talk and listen. The groups are typically mixed age, and we encourage cross-generational interaction. What better way to gain insight and perspective?
Perfect for:
All generations. Curious, growth-oriented individuals who value the perspectives of every age. Please encourage others of all ages to join in. You may unsubscribe at any time.
For more information, and to sign up, click HERE
SESSION 1: The New Map of Life
Tuesday, March 15, 2022 from 12:00-1:30pm ET
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Image: Courtesy of Lives Well Lived
March 15 to 21, 2022 (Screening dates)
March 22, 2022 from 12:00 to 1:00pm ET (Zoom conversation and Q&A with the filmmaker, Sky Bergman.)
Top Sixty Over Sixty is pleased to host a free online screening of Lives Well Lived, one of the most uplifting films you’ll ever see, followed on March 22 by a Zoom Q&A with the director and a chance to discuss the movie with other viewers of all ages. This one-hour documentary features 40 people ranging in age from 75 to 100, who share intimate memories, inspiring stories, and insights to living a meaningful life.
Here’s how it will work:
- On March 15 you will receive a link, and you will have a week to view the film online.
- On March 22 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm ET, you can tune in to Zoom to join the conversation and participate in a virtual Q&A with the filmmaker, Sky Bergman.*
Spots are limited. REGISTER NOW
*Sky Berman is a Professor of Photography and Video at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, California.
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