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Out of Gas at Mile 24 on the Journey

Life lesson: Use daily energy allotment judiciously.



My legs are so tired today I have to gather up willpower to walk across the room. They had been tired before, but not this severe.


My brain and body are having a disagreement.


Now I am convinced for sure about Havighurst’s developmental tasks (for us, Late Maturity); adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health. I can’t do what I did yesterday, let alone last year.


I did crazy things yesterday and didn’t run out of leg strength.


I’m not being knocked down by grief every day and, as a result, I’m beginning to notice more things. My floor is hardwood and has been overused. It is full of scratches and gouges. It could be sanded and refinished, which would be beautiful, but it would be a mess. I’m not ready to go through all of that. I’ve decided I’m going to cheat and have the fake stuff laid down on top of it. That's an extreme in itself, but at least doesn’t include dirt and dust billowing all over the entire house and everything in it, including the drawers. So, a new floor is going down here.


I also decided it would be a good idea to move all of the breakables and knickknacks off of the furniture, as all furniture has to be moved anyway. It’s not a big chore. The workers will move furniture as needed.


It must have taken 1,000 steps to move all of the knickknacks. Of course, I left it all until the final day. They’re coming today. I moved all of the stuff into rooms that are not getting new flooring, so that was an advantage.


Two neighbors had to go to their winter homes for extended times, so I am the one here to check on their homes. We cover for each other here. That was yesterday. Also, I found a leak at one of them. It wasn’t a big deal. A hose connector was leaking big time, but fixing it took several trips, getting tools and physically getting myself lowered into a position to access it.


That burned up more energy, so it must not have left much in the tank.


The gerontological experts tell us that as we age it takes longer to recuperate from energy loss. If we have a shock or an exciting episode, it takes up our allotment in a hurry, and takes a whole lot longer to recuperate than when we were younger. In spite of that, we have our usual everyday requirements.


Does this energy exist in units? Maybe quarts or gallons? Do I have 450 units or 6 quarts of energy every day to use? So, yesterday I used all my units (quarts) and today I am running on empty. Am I pushing this body around like I would a car that had run out of gas?


Now I have this dog that has suddenly decided to communicate with me, or I have suddenly begun to understand what she has been saying all along.


It’s time for her morning walk!


Let me know how you are doing. I care.


Sincerely,

Lynn Brooke


© 2023 Our New Chances

Photo Credit: © 2023 Rachel Gareau

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