73/73

 

Today is my last day of 72 years old. With great gratitude, let me report it has been a fine year. I’ve had the good fortune to continue to keep all the parts of myself I care about well-exercised and moving forward. Published my 10^th book, published another Orff book of essays by multiple authors, wrote another book that I sent out to publishers. Got to teach both kids and adults in some seven different countries, played for the elderly, performed at SF Jazz Center and in Grace Cathedral. Babies born in the families of two nephews, another nephew married, my daughter’s new (and delightful) boyfriend, a wonderful bike trip in Slovenia with my wife and friends, great visits with the grandkids  Of course, some difficult losses as well, especially in both my generation and the next generation up of Orff colleagues. 

 

A few health challenges with those three major incidents of extreme vertigo, a 10-day Covid, more aches and pains than I remember from previous years. It was the year I broke down and got hearing aids, though have held steady with my 2.5 reading glasses. However, quite pleased to report that I often walk 5 to 7 miles a day, can bike 20 or 30 without much effort, can swim 1200 strokes (yes, I count them). I can still sit in half-lotus posture during meditation, can still run if I have to catch a bus and can still perform a pretty hot Steppin’ body percussion routine. I can teach 6 hours a day for 7 days (or more) straight and feel energized by it rather than tired. 

 

I’ve loved visiting friends in distant places and re-connecting with some folks I hadn’t seen in ten or more years. Reading (and listening to) books remains a steady diet and I apparently haven’t run out of things to say on this Blog. My film ran on PBS (and still is available there) and inspired a few radio, podcast and TV interviews. 

 

Meanwhile, I realized that this last day of 72 is really the last day of 73 years on the planet —when you turn “1,” it means you’ve lived a full year. So tomorrow when I turn “73,” it’s not the beginning of my 73^rd year but my 74^th. 

However you look at it, it’s a lot of years. Tomorrow I’ll try my ritual swimming of 73 laps in the (luckily) small hotel swimming pool, trying to recall something about each year. Wish me luck!