“Ready or not, here I come!” I have vivid memories of playing Hide and Seek for hours every day. It was a simple game, requiring nothing more than a player’s imagination. Do children still play Hide and Seek? Truthfully, I don’t know.
What I know is that at 72 years old, I play Hide and Seek every minute of every day. In my version of the game, my body hides its (previously taken for granted) skills from me and I have to find them. For instance, tonight I had Italian Wedding Soup for dinner. The skill I needed to win was the one that allows my hand to get a spoonful of soup to my mouth without spilling it. I lost tonight and currently I’m wearing half of my soup.
Every time I start any motor activity, I have to verify whether I can currently perform it safely or if Parkinson’s has hidden the skill necessary to perform the task. Over time, Parkinson’s has gotten better at hiding my essential skills, leaving me a long list of abilities I no longer have.
Frankly, I decided to quit the game and accept my losses. I decided there would be no more trips to Mexico. I cancelled my trip to Ireland. I rarely went out. I was miserable! Then I remembered “Ready or not, here I come” and how much fun playing was. I decided I would never be ready again, but I would play, nonetheless.
I’ve put together monthly challenges. Having completed Challenge number one, 5 days in Atlanta, I’m on to Challenge number two, flying to Vancouver and boarding a cruise ship for a seven-day Alaskan cruise. If all goes well with the cruise, then it’s on to Chicago; and, if I can find the skills necessary to enjoy driving to and spending time in Chicago, then Renee and I will return to Mexico in October.
We are never too old to play the game as long as we are willing to accept failure. So, “Ready or not, here I come.” I hope to see many of you in September!
