My mom is Catherine Greer (the First), called Katie or Kate by family and friends.
She's 85 and she lives in Canada. One Christmas a couple of years ago, I sent her a ukulele.
It was love at first sight.
She'd never had the opportunity to be a musician, but she raised us singing. As the youngest of six kids, I spent a lot of time picking raspberries and singing all the songs my Mom loved (Five foot two, eyes of blue...Oh what those five feet can do!).
Mom visited me recently in Sydney, and she's gotten pretty good on her ukulele. One day, we had a conversation:
- Me: "When did you start playing, Mom? When you were 84?"
- Mom: "Oh no! I was only 83."
After she started lessons, my Mom joined a group called THE UKULADIES. These women completely ROCK. Their musical director is 88, they had a 91 year old playing electric guitar and they perform all over the city for other seniors. (Let me say this: when I think of my mom and her friends, I think of women like me -- with a few decades more of life experience. They're savvy, intelligent, motivated women. Full stop.)
I love the idea that we all have hidden flames inside us, waiting to ignite. It can happen now, or at 85. We can keep learning forever.
So here's a question: do you know what lights you up?
Have you uncovered your own beautiful mystery yet? It's inside you, waiting to shine.
If you're not sure, try this:
- Be a beginner. Beginners are allowed to be bad at stuff. That's fantastic news, right? Start and be horrible at it. It's okay. You're a beginner.
- Notice what you're doing when you lose track of time. That's what you love, so do more of it.
- See what you can get away with, just for fun. (I just wanna see if I can...sell a painting, start a business, design a handbag.)
- Ask yourself a tough question: when was the last time you learned something new?
Living with your lights ON and your motor running is the key to joy. Being a producer, not a consumer, is the key to happiness.
Here's to finding what lights you up. It's worth thinking about...and getting started.
Happy weekend, everyone. (Be fun to live with!)
Catherine
PS. Big huge hello to all my new blog readers this weekend! You're joining women (and a handful of guys!) from around the world. Welcome!
Fun posts on being that special someone for a person you adore, how to be the boss of your beautiful brain, and taking the time to give yourself a little credit for who you are.
And here's a pic of mother-daughter shopping...we bought the same ripped jeans. And my mom's all "I can't wear these in my retirement village" (laughing her head off) and I'm like "Your girlfriends will LOVE your jeans!" My mom is game for anything. Shine on, Catherine I and Catherine II.
