O P I N I O N

BOOMER LIFE

By Annette Kurman

I’m not old; I’m “seasoned”

I can barely get the word out of my mouth: seven-ty. It sounds so, um, old, and it’s coming up faster than a Disney bullet train.

You may have already breezed past the milestone without a thought or are looking forward to it so you can retire at your highest Social Security rate. 

But it was a big speedbump in the road for me later this month, until I thought about it. (Here’s the joke everyone says: “But it’s better than the alternative.”)

Taking a look at the recent past, I’ve had the honor of speaking and working with healthy, self-sufficient, independent individuals in their seventies, eighties, nineties and older who still enjoy hiking and skiing, travelling, and more. And I say to myself (and often to them), I want to be like them when I grow up! 

I’m fortunate to still have the ability to work (even though I enjoy a nap here and there). I am healthy, independent with activities of daily living, love working out, and Rick and I enjoy going on cruises with other crazy Boomers like us who love live music and dancing to the songs with which we grew up.

So for this new decade, instead of looking at becoming 70 as another eye-rolling milestone I’d rather ignore like, I’m taking a more holistic approach, with the goal of adapting things I love into more people-oriented possibilities. 

My years of participating in exercise classes and actually having osteopenia/osteoporosis (depending on the every-other-year test), have seen me leading weekly bone health “Bone Builders” classes at the Cashin Senior Center in Manchester. There I’m the leader (Who, me? Leader?) guiding a dedicated group of my peers through bone health exercises that I change up regularly, all the while adding fun and laughter to each class. (At least I hope it’s fun and laughter with me and not at me! LOL!) This was a large step outside my comfort zone; maybe that’s where my humor plays into it – to comfort myself.

And as a “seasoned” adult, I develop five-minute relationships with every  vaccination customer who comes to my little office to update their immunizations. From youngsters to centenarians, I vaccinate them all, learning about their concerns, celebrating their upcoming events for which they’re receiving a vaccination (a family birth, travel), and more. It was a limited-time gig, one which I loved but bore no sadness after the last injection was given in mid-November. (Except for the extraordinary staff I’ve been working with daily!)

My love of classic rock’n’roll brings me to other possible projects: creating a low-impact dance-for-fun class to our favorite tunes from the ’60s. (See I’ve lost my bounce story.)

At the same time, with my future responsibilities so flexible, I’m preparing to become a Red Cross health care worker for possible deployment in the Granite State or elsewhere when needed to manage health care concerns while providing comfort and care to those in need. A new venture definitely outside my comfort zone, one during which I hope to continue to learn, garner new experiences, and help/support those experiencing a variety of needs during minor to large disasters.

And in between all of this, I am on-call as a substitute school nurse for several school districts. I loved working with youngsters during last year’s experience as a part-time elementary school nurse. Sometimes, a child only needs a hug or a bright “hello” to continue through the school day. Perhaps we, as adults, could benefit from that, too.

And of course, all of what I am today is due to the love and encouragement from my No. 1 fan and husband, Rick. We’ll be celebrating 49 years in December, and I would be a different person if it weren’t for him. With his encouragement and support all these years, I’ve become the 70-year-old me that I am.

And I cannot neglect my two daughters who have given me more love than I ever could have imagined as adults. And special love to and from my granddaughter! My goal is to provide her and me as many “experiences” as I can as I did for my children. Our special thing.

Maybe I’ve presented ideas here you might think about for your life’s next chapter. Or other ideas you could suggest for me. We are changing all the time.

Happy birthday to me.

You can reach Annette Kurman, who will be accepting birthday greetings indefinitely, at annette.kurman@gmail.com.