“On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again”

In the words of Willie Nelson we are on the road again.,  We are traveling for a total of two months including three weeks in New York City, Edinburgh, Paris, Lisbon and Porto to start a two week walk to Santiago, Spain.

New York City is like nowhere else in the world. It is large, loud, crowded and fast. We are spending our days walking everywhere in preparation for our Camino. The last time we walked a Camino, 500 miles, from France to Santiago, it was 7 years ago and although that may not seem like a long time, in growing older years it’s a lifetime. There are new aches and pains and what was once second nature is now sometimes a daunting task. Getting up and getting started is no longer bounding out of my seat but rather gingerly moving until the body gets going.  Last year I was doing physical therapy and the therapist said over and over again “motion is lotion”.  So, I continue to get up, get dressed and head out with my husband Steve, onto the streets of New York to walk and walk and walk.  Aging has taken center stage and I know that the aches and pains I feel are part of that and although I will continue to move I can’t slow the process down. I never really gave much thought to getting old and not being able to do all that I used to do but suddenly it’s real and I really can’t do everything. I loved running and ran 2 marathons, one at 50 and the other at 68, lots of half marathons and 10K races and now I walk.  Running is a thing of the past.  Now when I travel I think I may be “Seein’ things that I may never see again.” My life has been a great adventure and there is hopefully more to come.

These days I’m focused on putting my socks on without it taking a half hour, wondering when the benches at art museums were lowered by several inches, when I needed a weekly plastic container for my medications, most of which are vitamins, and just plain getting moving every time I stop for a coffee, lunch or just sitting down for a moment. I laugh about it all the time. The other day we were in a restaurant and I got up to go to the bathroom. As I entered the door I somehow tripped on the door sill  and went sliding into the room to my shock and that of the women washing their hands. Not very graceful. I practiced getting up from the ground during my Pilates classes, (thank you Michelle) and got up with no injuries.  I am grateful to have solid bones and no osteoporosis.  Good eastern European genes. All of these changes are the new normal for life as I approach 75.  I keep laughing and keep moving.  Motion truly is lotion along with the help of some Advil, arnica and tiger balm.

With love and gratitude,

Marsha