Heart and Soul

This time in Hawaii with 5 of my closest childhood friends, for the year we turn 50, long anticipated: 7 full rich days. We got here yesterday, we don’t leave until next Saturday.

And while we have plenty of adventures planned (beach later today, snorkeling Monday, definitely some spa time and possible trip to Volcanoes National Park one of the other days) what I am really most looking forward to doing with these women is what I normally do at home by myself: lie in the sun and read. 

However, because my friends all have such good brains and I still find them interesting after over 40 years of conversation, I also want to talk about what we read.

And so, among the many books taking up way too much room in my suitcase (everyone encourages me to go digital but I just.can’t.yet) are these - Brene Brown’s latest because she’s so inspiring & one of Heidi’s favorite authors, and the other so we can talk about money. 

I want us to talk about money because we are all starting to envision what life might be like in “retirement” and I want so badly for us all to have the freedom to do what we want with the time we have left alive on this planet. Nothing like turning 50 to make you feel more in touch with your own mortality right?!?  

Personally, I figure I have what, about 40 more years tops? Yet the internet tells me the average life expectancy for a woman in the United States in the year 2022 is 81.2 years, so maybe not, maybe less, yikes. 

But I really only want to live that long if I have a certain quality of life, which I define as being a minimum of ambulatory and continent. Having seen what my mom went through living so many years trapped in a failing body, I say no thank you and I’ll just quietly see myself out…I’m a planner, so it strikes me I should really plan for that, as much as I plan for retirement, new thought. 🤓

Anyway: money. Not an easy topic…but we are all amazing powerful women and will figure it out!

Ironically also reading this highly praised novel at a time when I feel the least alone I have ever been (and, the furthest from cold Alaska), while here in paradise celebrating this milestone birthday with these women, who’ve been loving me and lifting me up all my life. 

Because truly it’s the heart and the soul that get deeper and richer over time, along with our relationships if we are lucky and put in the effort to stay connected.

The “Big Island” of Hawaii ~ July 2022