By Debbie Ables · September 23, 2025 · Words Of Women
Don’t get me wrong, I have been pretty happy with the past wonderlands I have created, but now in my 70s, I find I am not as adventuresome as I once was. I like being a homebody more than I thought I would. I have enjoyed the pleasures of living by myself for the last couple of years. Cooking what I like and eating when I want to has allowed me not to be dedicated to someone else’s time frame. Sleeping late if I wish or going to bed early without having to explain why has been delightful. Gathering on a whim or a planned outing with gal pals has been a joy. Having the time actually to relax and not worrying so much about others’ needs has allowed me to think about my own needs.
So there it is, time to think about a new wonderland for the next 10–15 years. Should I stay put or go for that last challenge? Maybe I should find a new home that is all on one floor. Should I reduce items in my house and clean out drawers and closets instead of holding on to items my son will have no interest in owning? How about quitting work completely and enjoying volunteering at something I have a passion for? Enjoy planting and maintaining a true vegetable garden instead of window sill herbs and a few veggies in pots out back. Do I want to fall in love again and have a companion in my life, or maintain the life I have with my Maggie dog?
I know I want to have more me time. I want more peaceful days sitting out in nature and painting what I see. I want to enjoy coffee in the morning, listen to the birds, and have no real plans. I don’t want a calendar to remind me of things I need to do; instead, I plainly want to do what I want to do.
The wonderland I truly want at this time in my life requires me to be brave and step out of the life I have lived and into one I believe will be best for me in these remaining years.
I think daily journaling will help me decide how to create this new wonderland and deal with the fear I have of change. I am so accustomed to a life of satisfying family, clients, and business obligations my whole adult life that it is hard for me to become comfortable letting all of that go. I believe the wonderland I truly want at this time in my life requires me to be brave and step out of the life I have lived and into one I believe will be best for me in these remaining years. I now have to find the courage to implement it.
