My Fifty Before Fifty List - How I Did and What I Learned

Today is my 50^th birthday. 

Two years ago I posted a blog about the 50 things I would like to do before I turned 50… and I did 14 of them. 

Those things I accomplished are: 

Learn to make jewelry chain

Won a photography contest

Wrote a child's book for the babies

Traveled to Shiloh National Battlefield

Raise my own vegetables

Make a compost pile

Come up with my own hamburger

Create my own cheese cake

Create my own pasta salad

Create a signature dish

Came up with my own potato salad recipe

Learned to make sushi

Do an acceptable water color painting

Own a Clan Hanna tartan cape (amended to shawl)

And I am well on my way on these two:

Read the Bible all the way thru 

I bought a “Bible on CD” set and I am listening to it.  I’ve done the entire New Testament and have gone thru most of 1 Chronicles as of last night.  I love having it for my long drives up to Missouri… that’s 4 hours of listening! 

In fact, there have been a whole lot of changes in my relationship with God… in a very good way.

Get organized 

I have made great progress with this one.  Enough that I know it will really and truly happen.  I’m almost done with decluttering and organizing my shed; even as it holds things moved from my hobby room/office as I remodel it.  So I have two “works-in-progress” happening and it all looks a bit chaotic right now.  It’s all good!

Only finishing 14 of 50 could have been a sad thing.  Could have, except for the fact that along the way I learned to finally throw my lists to the wind and accept all the incredible things the Lord has blessed me with.  And those things came to a number far higher than 50! 

Learned to make cheese

Learned to make a blown glass float

Took a series of mixed media classes

Put in a large herb garden

Completely remodeled a room in our house (hall bathroom)

Learned to felt

Learned to make wire wrap jewelry

Learned to make stamped jewelry

Learned to do wheel pottery

Gone to a "sea glass beach"

Became a DOTING Auntie (as opposed to just ‘being an aunt’ which actually would be something my sister did!  I was already an aunt when I wrote my list.  I never dreamed what those two little people would do to me.  Those babies OWN me…and I love it!)

AND I did one thing that I had said in that blog was “Of course there are the ‘dream’ things – travel to Scotland,… I know those are not realistic.”

I went to Scotland!!

And that brought some many experiences I had never dreamed I would do:

Purchased a length of hand-woven Harris Tweed from its weaver

Visited the land of my Scottish ancestors: Colonsay Island and Sorbie Tower, Galloway

Traveled thru the Highlands

Been 'monster hunting' at Loch Ness

Take a falconry course

Handled a Bald Eagle

Have eaten haggis and black pudding.

Have eaten REAL fish & chips.

Photographed a wild Red Stag.

Rode on a steam train.

Rode on a double-decker bus

Rode in an old fashioned 'cabbie' taxi

Slept in a lighthouse

Slept in a castle

Slept in a converted church

Stayed a week in a private beachside cottage

Driven on the 'wrong side of the road'

Walked the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Been on the "Falkirk Wheel"

Had a picnic on a beach

Walked thru ancient standing stones (the Callanish Stones on Lewis)

Eaten at a world famous restaurant (Three Chimneys)

So that is my 50 Before 50 list.  Two-thirds of it never even crossed my mind two years ago.  It’s been a great journey with so much learned.  I’ve learned to learn what to let go and what to keep close to me. 

I’ve learned that you have to realize “Prince Charming” isn’t real but you can still “live happily ever after”.  It’s not a fairy godmother’s magic wand that makes it happen; it is a lot of hard work and commitment… especially when you are tired of working hard and keeping the commitment.

I’ve learned to cut myself a break and realize I don’t have the strength or stamina of my 25 year old self.  But give extra time and a few assisting tools, I can do everything I’ve ever been able to do.  I just have to do it smarter. 

So today I start my ‘Fabulous Fiftieth Year’… and I already know it’s going to be a great one! 

(And there are things on that old list I still want to accomplish!)

 

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2012/08/its-inspiration-friday-no-77welcome.html