Each year I choose a word of the year, a single word on which to focus throughout the year with the hope that that word will help me grow.  This year’s word is TODAY.

I chose the word today partially because I am a life-long procrastinator, at least from the outside looking in.  For example, when it came to writing papers while I was in school, I usually did the physical writing at the eleventh hour, but all of the thinking, outlining, writing, editing, rewriting had been going on in me head from the moment the assignment was given.  The words just didn’t make it to the paper until absolutely necessary.  Is that really procrastination?

Ten days ago I celebrated my 64th birthday.  In celebration, Texas Teacher Retirement System sent me a lovely “birthday card” reminding me that since I am almost officially old, it is time to start the Medicare application process.  At the point I received this love letter, I had more than 365 days until my “Medicare Birthday.”  I could teach TRS something about the value of procrastination, but instead, they taught me to think about the value of today, of right now.

My reason for choosing TODAY as my word of the year for 2026 goes much deeper than my penchant for procrastination when it becomes to transitory tasks, it speaks to embracing today fully, doing those things that feed your soul, abandoning logic and the need for a quantifiable outcome, opening up to the uncertainty of adventure, realizing that today only comes once and that I need to make the most of it.  So that is what I am going to do.

In case you haven’t heard, 60-65 is the new 6-7.  Well, I just made that up.  But I’m sticking to it throughout this year.  Not only will I be 65 in December, my best friend and travel buddy will be 60 in the fall, both are significant birthdays, maybe even more so than 18 and 21 were.  We’ve decided to embrace these birthdays by celebrating big all yearlong.  We may be growing older, but we aren’t growing “upper”!

Today begins our first 60-65 celebration adventure.  We made a random decision a few months ago to spend a few days in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  Why?  We were thinking about that today and neither of us could remember.  Like kids we are impulsive.  Being old gives us the means to act on those impulses. :-). So this morning we got on a plane and flew to Knoxville and then drove the 45 minutes to Pigeon Forge. 

Our hotel choice was an adult choice for kid reasons.  We are staying at The Inn at Christmas Place.  It is decorated year round, both inside and out, for Christmas!  Christmas music is playing in the lobby and a giant glockenspiel sounds Christmas Carols when it chimes.  You can’t help but feel the child-like magic of Christmas surrounding you.

The rooms are all decked out with holiday cheer as well.  A Christmas tree, garland draped fireplace, wreaths, and holiday bedding are standard in every room.  Such a peaceful feeling!

This afternoon we ventured away from the hotel to explore Pigeon Forge.  Our first stop was an old people stop at CVS for Diet Coke and air fresheners because the rental car smelled like dirty socks.  It’s nothing that three little Bay Fresh trees couldn’t take care of.  If we’d been younger, I wonder if the gym bag smell would have bothered us.  We then headed into one of the touristy shopping areas.  The Christmas spirit was lost there!  

We walked into a leather shop expecting belts or wallets or maybe some purses.  There were bags…a whole store of bags with secret compartments to hold your concealed handguns.  As we turned to make a quick exit, the shop owner offered us a farewell ‘be blessed.”

The next shop was a wood worker where prominently displayed was a gun rack with a huge wooden cross hanging above it.  As we left that store, we were again offered blessings.  Who knew Jesus was so into firearms?!

We gave up on shopping and had a snack.  There were no gun accoutrements being sold in the ice cream shop; however, I suspect the sales ladies probably bought their purses from the leather worker around the corner.

Back to the hotel we went to work a little bit before heading out for a walk and dinner.  The grounds are beautiful at night.  We sat down by a fire pit that looked like a birthday cake full of all the candles we need on a 60-65 birthday celebration.

Heading up to our rooms for the night, we stopped in the lobby for cookies and apple cider from Santa, a nightly offering.

So far TODAY was a fabulous kick-off to our 60-65 year of celebrating growing older but not growing upper!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.