Persephone Arbour

Starting to write this, I am sitting in a beautiful, clear room with a view of the Alps in the distance, revelling in the quiet beauty all around me. I was invited to give a talk on Conscious Aging in Munich on 27th September. Blessedly this has included a visit to a close friend’s mountain retreat only an hour and a half’s drive away.

Munich is a beautiful city, wide streets, many trees and green spaces and elegant buildings. And, the talk went very well indeed – it was fun! My kind and energetic hostess who invited me, and in whose flat I stayed, emailed me afterwards writing:

“I spoke to 2 of my friends, both were very impressed and inspired by you: What an alive woman !!!!!!!!!!!! One climbed up a mountain in the alps the next day, something she thought she would never do again – but this time she followed the invitation. She has muscle pain all over but feels very good.”

That felt like a huge affirmation, and encapsulated for me what can happen when we understand fully about taking responsibility (as far as possible) for our own aliveness. And, it doesn’t matter too much which country and conditioning you come from. Our feelings, and responses are very similar. Any response can be as simple as following, rather than refusing an invitation! Or remaining open, rather than closed to a fresh suggestion.

Of course this made me very happy, as did the smiling faces that grew in number as the talk progressed. The story about meeting my partner even brought a round of applause! I knew in that moment that my visit to Munich had been worth the gamble – even ‘though the two other events booked, had not filled.

The next day I was whisked down here into, and enveloped by, such beauty. Magnificent scenery outside and the loveliest country apartment that you could wish to see. A gentle, stately boat ride round a lake, delicious food and best of all – the company of my much loved friend and his wife, are making this a brief but so welcome break in my, sometimes, too busy life – pause for thought!

Last night I was woken by the wail of a warning siren, a sound I had not heard for about forty-seven years. My immediate reaction was fear. After all these years, it still had the power to alert the eleven year old child, still inside this seventy-eight year old woman! It only lasted for a few seconds, but was definitely there. Of course, in this very efficient country, all small communities have such a warning system as a very necessary part of living away from the large towns, and particularly in a mountainous area. Within five minutes there was a fire engine, police vehicle and sundry cars all on their way to what must have been a quite serious road accident. And, the heart of this ‘eleven year old girl’ had stopped racing!

Now I am back in Munich, and will fly home tomorrow – a very happy and contented woman. Of course it would be nice to be invited back again – but that is almost irrelevant in the discovery that whether in my own country or not . . .I do have something to say and represent, that many older people are now ready to acknowledge. The unexpectedly high number of people who turned up – proved that. Life can be fulfilling, interesting and alive – yes alive, after the age of 60 – and onwards.