Aging My Way
One of my favorite bloggers, Dawn Downey, (https://dawndowney.substack.com/) claimed silver linings clash with her complexion and in the next instant, she said, dung beetles were her gurus.
Since silver linings are my mantra, you would suppose that I would be a bit upset with Dawn. But you would be wrong. Dawn gave me another perspective to ponder – and I learned a lot about dung beetles while doing it. Because she sparked my interest, I did an internet search to discover more about dung beetles, and discovered they actually are amazing creatures.
I mean, did you know that nocturnal African dung beetles can navigate and orient themselves using the Milky Way? And that some dung beetles can pull over 1,000 times their own weight.
Long ago, I wisely came to the conclusion that one learns more from those who think differently from me than those who agree with me. That mind set has stood me well, and often pushed me to better paths in life than what I was taught as a child growing up in the South during the 1940s and’50s.
For one thing, it’s not in the best interest of women to stay barefoot and pregnant. And just because you were born in Texas doesn’t mean you’re better than those who weren’t. That, at least was, my grandmother’s way of thinking.
I learned many other things during my journey through life that make me thankful for having diversity in my friends and acquaintances, and I hope they can say the same about me. I’ve also learned even more from other writers, like Dawn. The ability to read is an awesome gift.
Even so, I’ll continue to believe in silver linings — because one doesn’t have to agree with, or believe, everything they hear or read.
Pat Bean is a retired award-winning journalist who lives in Tucson with her canine companion, Scamp. She is an avid reader, an enthusiastic birder, the author of Travels with Maggie available on Amazon (Free on Kindle Unlimited), is always searching for life’s silver lining, and these days aging her way – and that’s usually not gracefully.