100 years young

Not the type of thing I usually?post on Linkedin, but then it's not everyday that a friend of mine turns 100 years old. Yep, born 12 April 1923.

I first met Barbara in 2008. The wife of my boss at the time was good friends with Barbara, and since they were moving to Canada, she asked me if I could assist with computer support as needed. I did help occasionally, but we ended up having cups of tea, one thing led to another, and then we found?ourselves on the road, adventuring. After about a year of doing this every?few months, I thought it might be a good idea to have a regular schedule, and so our official "Golden Girl Adventures" started. This means we?spend a Saturday together every 2nd month, and we hit the road, driving anywhere that is within 3 hours of Brisbane. The furthest trip we did was to the Bunya mountains, approx 600km?round trip in a day, it was freezing and beautiful and just a spectacular day. Sometimes we visit friends or family, sometimes we sightsee, but we always laugh a lot and admire how beautiful?nature is. We have travelled over 10,000km together in the last 10 years (each trip with a route plan and trip report including photos). I've seen so many places I would never otherwise have visited.?

Barbara still lives?on her own in the house she has owned for 40 years, she does her own washing, hangs the sheets out, prunes the shrubs in the garden, and does online grocery shopping. She recently bought something from ebay, and navigates the internet like a professional! She can find you any book in the world, even if it?is out of print. She proofreads and edits?books and articles, ghost writes articles, and always has a project on the go. She finally achieved a life long dream to complete a degree, which she did at the age of 80.?

Though she no longer drives, she Uber's everywhere and honestly her social life is busier than mine! She never married or had kids, and has a large and very lovely extended family (that feels a little bit like my own) of great great great cousins, nephews and nieces.

She moved to Brisbane from Grimsby in the UK some 70 years ago. She used to clean vehicles?and ammunition in World War 2, and besides an intriguing career in large part at the ABC, she spent 25 years volunteering at the Mt Cootha?Botanic Gardens?as a guide. Barbara's memory is better than mine (and generally I regard my memory as pretty good), she knows so much history, she could talk for days and not run out of stories to tell, and she still walks about 1km everyday.

She likes to say she is so lucky that she has so many friends that take her places and visit her, but I can assure you luck has nothing to do with it.?

We once were at the lookout in Springbrook, QLD, it is actually named "Best of all lookout", when a woman approached?us in the car park to say, "oh, I know this lady! She walks past my house every single day and is an inspiration!" What a small world. Another time we went to the Natural Arch, and Barbara did the 6km round trip on uneven ground, with no trouble. She took great pleasure in sharing that with her cardiologist. As recently as January I made her walk 6.5km all over South Bank in Brisbane. No way was I going to admit that I felt quite tired at the end of the day!?

In all our adventures, we talk about life and all its mysteries, we laugh, we marvel at the ignorance of some people, the brilliance of others, and we solve all the world's problems. I always leave feeling relaxed, energised and refreshed, and with a better perspective on whatever problem I may be having at the time, generally it is of no consequence in the scheme of life. I'm reminded of what is important. Here are a few things Barbara has taught me over the years:?

1. Never stop learning. Whether it's teaching yourself piano at the age of 90 to combat stiff arthritis fingers, researching for articles, reading, or something else, the point is to always keep learning.?

2. Stay curious. About people, your environment, and the world in general. Be interested and present. Challenge yourself, do things you think you can't.?

3. Build and cultivate good friendships. It takes effort to maintain meaningful relationships. Reach out, remember things, be there to listen. It's worth it.?

4. Be consistent in self care. Find a routine that works for you and your well-being, and stick to it. Simple is usually better. Sleep, move everyday, eat well and enjoy a treat when you need to.?

5. Live simply and within your means. Don't worry about things that don't matter. Take a risk if you need to, don't let fear and doubt deter you.?

6. Find hobbies that nurture your soul and do them often. Gardening, golf, writing and jigsaws are just some of Barbara's. Consistently doing them keeps you in a measured frame of mind.?

7. Always have something to look forward to. It keeps you focused on something positive and that makes the everyday not seem so bad. Joy is found in the little things. Balance enjoyment with the responsibilities of life.?

Simple, no? Food for thought.