What has made me happy in the past and brought me fulfillment? Where am I the most happy. Where do I find the peace that I seek? What will make me a better person? What can I do to inspire others? What drives the decision I make to change how I want to live. I have to search within myself to find those answers. I thought back to some of my favorites destinations that I have been. Forests, mountains, hiking seemed to be the most common theme. I knew I felt alive and filled with a serene energy when in those places. I love hiking in a forest. I love the mountain vistas both looking up at them and looking down from the top. I find comfort and a peacefulness when I am in nature. I also have loved volunteering. I especially enjoyed helping with the children at Kidane Mehret orphanage in Ethiopia. I knew that volunteering in some capacity overseas would be very fulfilling and a great way to fill my days once I retire. There are so many opportunities out there and so many destinations. There was one though that immediately grabbed hold of me and said "this is what you should do, go here".
Nepal, the Himalayas, eight of the Worlds highest mountains are in Nepal. The area is stunningly beautiful. Filled with a unique culture and many opportunities for volunteering and adventure. One slight problem though. I would be 67 before I would retire and have the opportunity to travel there. It would be three years. I would need every day of those three years though to get into the physical and mental condition to take on the challenges that I would face. I was inspired. I became determined. I want to prove to myself that it is not too late to chase what seems a near impossible dream. I want to inspire my children and grandchildren. Not just sit and grow old.
The importance of getting fit, staying active and pursuing an adventurous life is that I do not want to age like my Mother did. She spent twenty years of her life sitting in her recliner watching the Food Network. She lived most of her adult life in poor health. Much of it caused by doctors over-medicating her for one of her many ailments. Her health issues started not long after I was born. My earliest memories were of being sent off to neighbors or relatives while she was in the hospital. It makes me sad to look back on it, but to be honest I usually had a great time when I was away. I remember playing at a neighbors farm, then falling asleep watching TV that evening I was so tired. I remember waking up as she carried me to bed. Something my own Mother was never able to do. It felt safe. One of my fondest memories though was that my Grandmother (McCorkle) came to stay at our home to help with my older siblings that were all in school and I went back home with my Grandfather. My Aunt June and my baby cousin Todd were also staying with my grandfather. She was working at a nearby school. Her husband was just finishing up his deployment in Germany. She had returned a few months before he was due back. I had so much fun those few weeks helping my Grandfather take care of my cousin. He was the first baby I had an opportunity to spend time with. I was in love with him and he would always hold a special place in my heart. I also love the memories of the time spent with my Grandfather. He was such a quiet gentle man.
When I started school I became the responsibility of my siblings when Mom was in the hospital. I remember when we lived in New Jersey my Mom was hospitalized for several weeks. The hospital had a "No Children Allowed" on patient floors policy. My Dad snuck me up the back staircase so I could visit her and see that she as recovering. I don't know what she had wrong, or if she had surgery. It was just one of many hospitalizations. I think I was probably around 7 years old then.
My Mom's ill health continued. The afflictions were varied and I know that some in her later years including the kidney failure that led to her death was caused by the Doctors mismanaging her medications.
My experience with helping her and my Dad in their final years have led me to distrust Doctors and question everything they say and want to do. I have so many drug allergies and bad reactions to most medications that I just rarely see the point in going to a doctor anymore. This has led me to improve my lifestyle. Diet and exercise is the best thing I can do to stay healthy and active. It is also a requirement to get to the level of fitness I feel I must be at to take on the adventures of which I dream.
I started working out almost daily a year ago this month. I do yoga every morning and then most mornings I hop on a stair-stepper for a bit. When the weather permits on the weekends, I go hiking. When I get a vacation, I go hiking. When I am at work I am hopping on the internet and researching the next place I want to go hiking. I am in the best condition I have been in since I turned 40 (25 years ago). I feel amazing. I have energy. I am eating healthy. No processed foods and mostly plant-based foods. I love what I eat. It is great only having to cook for myself. Will I be ready for Nepal in 2 years... I hope so. But I know that nothing is guaranteed. I just know that this is my time to live my best life.
My Grandfather - Earl McCorkle (my Mom's Dad) , my cousin Todd Garner (the baby) and myself. Taken in the Kitchen of my Grandparents home in Levita Tx.
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