So it occurred to me today that I have a little problem.  The title of my blog is A Music Teacher’s Midlife Musings.  Well, since I began writing four years ago things have changed a bit.  First of all, I’m pretty sure 60 is not considered mid-life but I’m not ready to go to the next category, so don’t go there.  And while I am still musing, as of this fall, I am no longer a classroom teacher.

Four years ago, my blog name described me.  In the last year or so I’ve begun to step away from just writing about teaching and kids, although the topic is still very important to me.  It just won’t be full of cute little personal anecdotes anymore I’m afraid, no more stories of kids swallowing foreign objects that they’ve found on my carpet during class.  Nope, I’ll have a cubicle which apparently I won’t be visiting  very often because I’ll be working with classroom teachers instead.  So perhaps my new blog title should be “A music teacher leader’s senior musings”?  No, that’s a bit too depressing.  Senior moments are all too real these days.

While not fitting my title is a bit disconcerting, if I’m not changing, I’m not growing, right?  Back in the old days it could have been a McDonald’s employee’s teenaged musings, followed by a college student’s young woman musings, then a mom’s 20 something musings, followed by a blur of 30’s while raising three boys musings, then my 40’s & 50’s music teacher’s midlife musings.  Things have significantly changed over the years, which is a good thing.  How has your blog title changed over the years? Has it changed the way you planned or is it completely different?  Did things get in the way or perhaps progress later than you hoped?

Today I was reflecting on my place in my world and I’m happy.  Not satisfied, but very happy.  I have had and am still having wonderful experiences upon which to muse.  Maybe later than some but life is not a race – each individual is just that – an individual.  And my story is not like anyone else’s.  Not everyone gets to marry their best friend, not everyone raises three young men who have turned out to be pretty great, not everyone gets to have a thirty year career doing something they love.  And through it all, despite the sometimes rocky road of life, the wrong turns taken and the mistakes made, life has turned out to be pretty good.

And no, I’m not satisfied and I think that’s a good thing.  There’s more to do and see and learn and experience.  I’ve just spent the last two days listening and learning and yes, on occasion participating and what I do know is that I’m not there yet, wherever “there” is.   There’s just so much more to do.  Yes, it’s sometimes uncomfortable and many times frustrating, but I can do this thing called change.  Just maybe not as fast as I used to.  I may be old school but as I told someone earlier this week, that just means I have a bigger bag of tricks.  I’ve experienced enough that when I experience it again, it’s nothing to sweat over.  Except maybe this pandemic thing – who saw that coming?  But then again, I’m old enough to know that God’s in control and I’m good with that.  Besides, I hear 60 is the new 40.  I can go with that.

I saw a clip of a woman on America’s Got Talent this morning.  73 years young, she began body building at age 59.  She has the body of a really in shape 20 year old.  Not sure it was talent, but it sure was inspiring.  She changed the direction of her life at a time when most people are thinking of slowing down.  Pretty amazing.  While I’m pretty sure I’m not going to begin picking up barbells any time soon, it does open my eyes to the fact that my life blog can be anything I choose it to be.

A music teacher’s midlife musings.  The title and age may change but the musings continue as the road to adventure awaits.