Finding a new passion at 57

Passion Before Paycheck  

Linda:

 

Location: Springfield, VA USA

 

Age: 59 

 

 

For years, my passion was raising my two children.  I often thought of myself as the wolf mother of Mowgli in Kipling’s Jungle Book. Raksha would fight Sher Khan to the death to protect her “cub” and I would then, and now, do the same for mine.  My passion for their well being was expressed in working multiple jobs, being there for sports, developing a tight knit family of 3, and subverting many of my needs to theirs. (Sounds like a lot of mothers, doesn’t it!). 

About 4 years ago, the last of my two children left home for the last time and propelled me into a demographic called “empty nester”.  Luckily, I had the experience of walking some distance behind my two adult sons at a ski area several years earlier.  It seemed at that moment like a metaphor for my life.  They were moving on…leaving me behind and the thought occurred to me “you had better get a life, Linda, because you are no longer a central part of theirs!”

Many things followed that experience…a move to DC…a new job “playing with the big kids” in our Nation’s capitol, a new relationship (the first in 20+ years) and on and on. I have always been “invested” in my work but hardly passionate.  I care about numerous activities including singing, volunteer work, reading and learning, environmental issues etc., but would not feel lost without them.  So how does a middle aged woman find passion? 

First, I think you have to be open to it.  The Universe will deliver if you see it when it is presented to you.  For me, it happened when I was in Moab, Utah with my sons.  One was jumping off the cliffs and one was climbing up them.  I was charged with taking care of my grandchild while his Mom and Dad jumped.  At one point in the day, I was watching my youngest (the climber) and thinking “That looks like fun!  I’d really like to do that!”  Never mind that I was 5’2’’ and 180lbs.  Never mind that I hadn’t done anything remotely athletic in the last 30 years.  Never mind that I was 57 years old. For some reason, I was open to the notion that rock climbing was something I could do.

Second, you must act on the possibility.  I decided that if I was going to climb, I would need to be much stronger and much lighter than I was at that moment.  When I got back home, I joined the local gym and started working out 4 to 5 nights a week both cardio and strength.  I had more strength but did not start loosing weight until I got serious about diet.  The more I had to do to get what I wanted, the more passionate I became about my pursuit.  Five months later, I returned to Colorado and at 10,000 feet, I rappelled down a 40 foot cliff and then climbed back up under the direction of my son.  Awesome!

I have continued to climb 2 to 3 days a week (mostly in-doors) and am preparing for my next challenge. I want to learn TRAD lead climbing.  Once again, I have discovered that I need to be yet leaner and yet stronger for this goal. I am back at the gym and back to being careful that what I put in my body actually contributes to meeting my goal. And I have a definitive date for that goal.  Mother’s Day weekend I will be in WV with a superb climbing instructor, Dianne Kearns, learning TRAD at Seneca Rocks. 

It is still a bit of a mystery to me why “giving up” to reach a goal results in so much “getting”, but it does.  Life is good!

 

Linda

Ready to fly at the

windtunnel in Denver.

 

 

Linda would like you to visit her favorite climbing gym: Sport Rock

What is Passion Before Paycheck and how do I post my passion?