August is my birthday month (yes, I'm a Virgo through and through)... and this year I'm turning the Big Six- Oh.
When I was younger, 60 was beyond the pale. I gave my 7th decade little thought because on one hand I believed I was immortal, and on the other, I expected that, long before I reached 60, I would die.
But here I am, bright eyed and bushy-tailed, so to speak.
To celebrate turning 60, I've created a Memory Map. I began with a big wheel, divided into six wedges, each representing a decade. Then, in each wedge I created a collage of memories and here's where the real gift to myself came in: I allowed myself to CLAIM ONLY POSITIVE MEMORIES. The dark stuff is there, of course, it's always with us to one degree or another.
And now, before me, is a powerful pictorial representation of my life, seen from the perspective of blessing. Proust said it, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Hallelujah!
(c) M. Killoran, 2004
About the Author
Maureen Killoran is a Life Coach and Unitarian minister, with a passion for helping people connect their strengths with their vision. She offers individual and group coaching, teleclasses, tele-support communities, and a free monthly e-zine, SEEDS OF CHANGE. Maureen brings a breadth of experience and a lot of joyful energy to her intuitively-grounded practice. Check her out at www.spiritquest.ws