We’ve Entered a New Phase but What Phase is it?

Seeking counsel from Einstein. He had a kind face.

I read lots of blogs, about travel, traveling in retirement, managing retirement, finances.
Several I follow feature superhuman folks age 70 or older who travel the world but seemingly have no reported serious illnesses, no emergencies, never lose stuff, make bad plans or experience crabby moods. How can this be? Who are these older vagabonds who live and travel trouble-free?
Recently, we flew to Portland for a follow-up medical appointment, an important one since it included a checking-for-traces-of-cancer blood test. Our lives in 2017 so far have been organized around medical tests, a surgery, follow up appointments, recovery, questions, and worry. Not quite what we envisioned for ourselves three years ago when I joined R in retirement. To re-connect with our traveling spirits, we decided we’d fly from Portland to D.C. for a long delayed, much canceled touristy visit, putting aside our wishes that we’d made this trip during the thoughtful, optimistic Obama era and settling for museum visits and long walks while ignoring the disturbing White House occupant and his bizarre, troublesome behavior.

A calming view of the mall

For the life of me, though I ponder this idea endlessly, I can’t figure out why I’m not more like the trouble-free globe-trotting seniors I read about. This was not a last minute trip, though it was shaded by the looming blood test which apparently clouded my usually organized mind. Compression socks, sensitive skin soap, my camera, earphones, tissue packets, warm wooly scarf, ear covers, and winter gloves were all left safely at home. I’ve committed fewer packing crimes on a long haul trip to South Africa or prepping for a two month visit to Europe. Go figure. I did, however, manage to pack a pharmacy of cold remedies – cough syrup, cough drops, Cipro, nasal spray, inhaler all with the dream of clearing my stuffed head and chest.

As we flew from west to east, I had lots of time to consider our current circumstances. This I know, people like certainty, reliability. Actually, people need certainty; certainty comforts and calms. But how much of life is certain? Guaranteed? Reliable? Not all that much. R’s first blood test is completed, results good but not perfect. Not zero. We’ve entered a new phase, I’m not sure if it is the uncertain phase or the testing phase or the uncertain testing phase. In a kind of blissful stupor, previously I thought we were living solidly and happily in the “Go-Go” years phase, the early retirement years when we could set off, exploring the world, our healthy selves intact.

I guess I’ll name this new phase as we gingerly move through it, while wondering about the people traveling the world, living life unscathed.