Remember Gumby? That always smiling, always green, and always handless and footless character from many of our childhoods? What word do you think of when you think of Gumby? I think of flexible. He could bend backward and forward! He could bend east and west! He could bend north and south! He could bend in half! Flexible!!
You know who is 100% Gumby? Little children, Olympic gymnasts, high school wrestlers, and Scarlett Johannson (I’m guessing there, but she is my Hollywood crush). You know who is 0% Gumby? That would be me!
Of all the things I dislike about growing older, I think number one is my lessening flexibility. Oh sure, I don’t care for the increasing amount of wattle under my chin. Of course, I am not fond of never getting a full night’s sleep. And, the increasing amount of technology is not my favorite either. But that lack of being Gumby bendable really frustrates me.
When I babysit my grandson and he wants to play a board game, I think to myself let it please fit on the table! When I sit with a client for an hour and have to get out of my chair…just give me a second! Or worst of all, dropping something and having to pick it up from the floor. Almost daily, I go to throw something in the trash and miss and have to pick it up. Damn!
It’s not that I am unhealthy. I hike and run and kayak. But getting up off the floor to me is almost like climbing Everest. When did that become a part of my life?
I’m not sure what the fix is. Maybe yoga to improve my flexibility? Maybe essential oils? Instead, maybe I will just watch some old Gumby episodes and dream of days gone by.
A Semi-retired Kind of Life 