One decade from now:

Another milestone birthday will have recently come and gone.

My hair will be frosted with gray, still long and straight, for I’ll never concede to the short, permed, poodle cuts older women seem to favor.

My vision will remain myopic as always, yet my eyes will be clear, radiating the wisdom of experience.

My body will be flexible and strong, my mind clear and calm, thanks to a solid yoga and meditation practice.

My nest will be empty...sort of. My children will have flown free and wide (with frequent check-ins), but friends, books, music, dance, travel, my beloved writing, a garden and a cat (or two or three) will continue to fill my life.

A partner? Sharing my life with the right person would be lovely, buttercream frosting on a rich and fattening cake. But it’s not a necessity.

Love, however, will always be a necessity.

I hope, in ten years, I will have slowly and continually stripped away the trappings of materialism. Ultimately, my desires for the future are simple: to be radiant with joy, filled with peace, surrounded by love.

I thanked my ex for referring part-time work to me. Then I secretly groused because, while I need the money, I'm sad about losing additional play time. Life is too short to be spent working. And yet, if the budget is tight, the ensuing stress negates total relaxation anyway. So...work it is, with a smile of gratitute.