For the past year I have been writing about the “3^rd Act”. For my purposes I have chosen to divide up the “acts” into 30 year intervals. That being the case the 3^rd act is that period of time between the ages of 60 and 90. I realize that there is no actual science for this method, it just works for me. And I also do not want to imply that the 3^rd act is the final act. I’m hoping to have a 4^th act too!

This no longer seems that unlikely. In an earlier blog I made reference to Ida Keeling, that 100 year old dynamo that is still engaged in track and field events. This is an example of someone who is clearly into a healthy and productive 4^th act. As this year winds down I want to highlight another amazing person who is making the most of their early “4^th act years”. That person is my father.

In November my father turned 93. He still lives in his own home with my mother (who is 89 and on the cusp of her 4^th act), still drives occasionally, is fully present both mentally and physically, and follows world events with real intention. He is an ongoing example to me of what is possible when you take care of yourself. As I have been saying all along, I am fully aware that we cannot know when we might get “the diagnosis”, however as much as it is up to us, we can take responsibility for our health and well-being.

I asked my father recently how he stays in such good physical condition. He showed me the exercise routine that he does every day. When I asked him how long he had been doing this he answered, “Oh I don’t know, about 25 years”. Twenty five years! Wow, that’s a long time to be doing something that regularly. He also told me that he uses the rowing machine in his condo’s exercise room. Again my question was, “how often”? His answer, as could be expected, “every day”. I told him that in a recent study, the “rowing machine” came out as one of the very best exercises we could do for overall physical mobility. He seemed pleased to know that what he had been doing for a long time was somehow confirmed by science. A few years ago he had to go into the hospital to have his gall bladder removed. It was the first time, other than visiting people in a hospital that he had ever been in one. The doctors were amazed at how “young” his body was and he was in and out in three days.

I write this because my father is one of those quiet, gentle folks who will never step too far out of his comfort zone. That means that he will never enter the kind of events that Ida Keeling is becoming famous for. And yet, here he is, in his own way, flying the flag for living an engaged and healthy life right into his 4^th act. He doesn’t know anything about these “acts” that I am talking about. In many ways, I think he could care less. He simply wants to live well for as long as he can.

I believe that my father is a good example of someone who is taking the long view while being keenly aware that his clock is older than it once was. He often reminds me that “things could start breaking down any time”, and I know that he means that. Still, he presses into each day; doing his exercises, pulling on the rowing machine, walking what seems to be many, many kilometres, grateful that he is doing so well. I am proud of him. Earlier I mentioned my mother. She is on the cusp of entering her 4^th act and this year she was diagnosed with diabetes. Upon receiving this news, my mother took on the challenge, reconfigured her diet and exercise routine and is now living medication free. Once again, she knows that could change, however her willingness to not give in is a walking demonstration to me (and to her doctor) that even at 89 someone can change their lives for the better.

So may it be said of us, too, that no matter what act we are in, we can lean into life, doing all that we can to be examples of what it means to live well.

Onward….