New Year's Resolutions

I don’t typically make New Year’s resolutions. My experience has been that by February 1st they are long forgotten. This year, however, might be slightly different.

As I was holding my beautiful granddaughter for the first time and gazing down at her perfect face, I envisioned her first day of school, her first piano recital or horseback riding competition, her first date, the driver’s license…And I realized how much I wanted to be a part of those events. So I did the math…to see her graduate from high school, I have to make it to roughly 68. College graduation would add another four years, putting me at 72. A wedding might bump me up to 75.

Suddenly good health became the item of the day. I need to turn this 51-year old body around! I’ve been putting off the dreaded colonoscopy. And on the flight home from seeing that baby for the first time, I read an article about diabetes and it’s rise in the United States. So I guess I might want to have some blood work done at my next physical. Each year, the doctor tells me that I’m healthy and good to go, but I think we need to work on healthier. Healthier might make those high numbers like 75 look more realistic!

I’m thinking about pulling the old tennis rackets out of the garage. It’s been a few years since hubby and I have played, but it might do us some good. Next on my list is a good pair of walking shoes. Those strolls along the C&O towpath might have to turn into power walks now so I can get my heart rate up and get a good work out. My son keeps telling me to run with him, but I don’t think that I want to be that healthy!

I’ve been trying to put more fruits and vegetables into our diet. I keep telling my husband that we need our five to seven daily servings. As much as I dislike the “flavorlessness” of water, I might just have to start suffering, and give up my diet Coke. Well, maybe not completely give it up, but I could add more water. I can just pinch my nose when I drink it and pretend!

It’ll be tough, I know, but seeing my princess walk down the aisle in about twenty-five or thirty years could make it all worthwhile. We thought about calling out for Chinese tonight…maybe we should do a salad. Posting Chloë’s picture on the fridge might serve as motivation. It’s worth a try!

It’ll have to stay up there beyond February 1st though if this thing is going to work out!

This blog post ran as my column post for "The Empty Nest" in the Frederick News Post on Sunday January 1, 2012