From 50 to 60 in just 10 Years

Since early June, Kim and I have been involved in another BLT (Baytown Little Theater) summer musical, My Fair Lady. Against my better judgment I went to the auditions and since Kim was bound to work on the show, I joined him on the play. Now I say "against my better judgment" because I know my body and that it has been feeling not only my age, but my weight. "Yikes!" my feet and knees scream.

Kim was cast in the role of Henry Higgins which is the male lead. My part is "chorus". Eh, its not much, but in some shows a bigger part than in other shows. For me, My Fair Lady has been that "other" show. As enjoyable as singing and acting is for me, the dancing part, not so much. Just the other side of 50 years old...okay, several miles passed the tracks...I can't dance without hearing those cries from my feet and legs. Having just completed the opening weekend of the play, my feet and legs are yelling in pain at me.

Learning all of those Henry Higgins' lines was a challenge for Kim. The character not only speaks with an English accent, the wordy phrases are said in such a way that only the English would say. He, and I, have labored over his lines as he worked to memorize songs and words. Once an easier task, now "just the other side of 50 years old", he has found this activity not as pleasurable as it was before.

Simply aging is not difficult. Keeping our aging bodies in good condition is very difficult for some of us. Activities we do after we turn 50 has become more of a chore than they were before. Even though most of us have learned that exercise and healthy diets are beneficial to our aging bodies, I find that many of us don't get serious about our exercise and diet until we hurt.

After opening weekend of the play where really did enjoy dancing in shoes my feet were not accustomed to wearing, and on floors with no cushion whatsoever, my legs really hurt. It is not going to be as much fun the second weekend of the play if my legs do not recover from that workout. Exercise? Now too late, I wish I'd kept up with exercise.

Whereas my leg muscles have rebelled against my dancing, Kim's brain has benefited from the mental workout he gave it. All of his hard work memorizing lines of Professor Higgins probably built his brain power. Makes one wonder if in our high technological age of short Twitter and Facebook posts, email and abbreviated phone texting, are not doing our brains more harm than good. Kim's memorization was a real brain workout for sure.

Have I learned anything from this experience? Sure, of course I did! Follow my first instinct and don't do this again!!! Ha! not really. What I've learned is that I need to be more diligent to eat healthier, lose weight and exercise so my legs won't freak out with physical activity. Will I be in another summer musical? Probably. Will Kim be in another play? It is highly likely he will, though I would doubt it will be as a lead character. Although, I have to tell you readers, he was a fantastic Professor Higgins!

My high school class just celebrated our 40th Reunion. In two years we will be part of the 60 group. Where has the time gone? My time on this earth is narrowing down and if I want these years to be more pleasure and less misery, I need to listen to my body and help it out. My feet and legs have got to be shut up, they are screaming way too much these days.