Interesting discussion. My Mom, as she aged, had a unique perspective- she called life chapters.

As it became too difficult to do something, she would close that chapter and start another- like working and raising a family, caring for her parents and brother, retiring with my Dad, selling her winter home, then her house with the hard to manage yard, and moving through a series of apartments that offered her services based on increased need.

During those years, our adventures together were in a different book of chapters. First traveling with our large family, then with Dad, friends and her sister, later with my kids, touring with me after my Dad's death, until finally our adventures were tiny- eating at a favorite restaurant or having a meal brought in and shared.

I remember talking about this with her, of all places, in the McDonalds parking lot, where we went to get her a fish sandwich- she was too frail to go in to eat, so we sat in the car and reminisced.

So now I often think about my life as chapters- and hope I turn my pages as gracefully as she did. Merry, it sounds like a good description of how you are choosing to live as well.
Sue

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