My knee and I are walking the beach again! Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to reach out after my last post to offer everything from knee-injury encouragement and sympathy to names of knee-replacement surgeons.
I love how differently we all approach these things. I go right into research mode to figure out how to help my body heal itself, while someone else goes immediately to the best doctor they can find. Is my way right? Is the other person’s?
I know we all want rules for these things, rules for injuries, rules for life. Like if we do X, Y or Z, it’ll all work out and we’ll live happily ever after.
But there’s so much randomness to the world. My knee could get better and then the next day I could trip and hurt the other one. (I hope I didn’t just jinx myself!) You could make a brave leap to a new job or boyfriend and get laid off or dumped the following month.
So, we just have to make our best guess, given who we are, and what we know at this point in our lives. Listen to ourselves, then take a deep breath, and make a choice. I think it’s important that we don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis while we’re looking for that perfect answer that probably doesn’t even exist.
Basically, any decision we make, we’ve got a 50-50 chance that we’re right! And if we’re wrong, we regroup and pivot. If we’re open to the lessons, we learn and we grow along the way.
I know how easy it is to fall into the trap of getting all judgy about someone else’s choice because it’s not the one we would make. I think some of that comes from a place of insecurity. You know, we have to put their choice down to convince ourselves that we’re in the right.
But how boring life would be if we all followed the same path, all thought the same way about everything. And the randomness of life, as scary as it can be, can also be fun and exhilarating.
So, make a decision. Take a chance! Make a leap! Think about who you are and what you want, and do it in your own unique way. And give everyone else the grace and space to do the same.
Meanwhile, I’ll be walking the beach, either barefoot or in a pair of my favorite beach or poolside water shoes.
![](http://livingyourbestlife60plus.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Claire-Cook.jpg)
Claire Cook wrote her first book in her minivan when she was 45. At 50, she walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the romantic comedy movie adaption of Must Love Dogs. She’s now now the New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of 23 books. Her books have been translated into 14 languages. She says: “Take it from me, if you have a buried dream, it’s never too late!”
Hi Claire,
You are so spot on! One of the benefits of aging is that we all have made mistakes and lived through some serious situations of which hopefully,
we’ve gained wisdom and share it. It is so fun and informative to hear solutions…
I’m like you in that I like natural healing methods for my body if possible and that world of research is amazing…
All that to say that I am thankful for this Best Life community, your poignant post, and the wisdom of the gray community we live in.