On Top Of The World

"Made it Ma......On top of the world!" yelled Cody before the explosion ended his life and the film, White Heat. That was the James Cagney movie that came out in 1949, and to some it is considered one of the best gangster films made. I am On Top of the World, just in a little different way.

Right now I am at On Top of the World in Ocala Florida, a beautiful and tranquil retirement community right smack dab in the middle of the state. The weather is hot and humid, with an occasional thunderstorm. And I guess because it is further south than NJ, the days are still long.

I am hanging with dad for a bit; helping him around the house, enjoying his company and for me some serious downtime from my life. While I am thankful for this opportunity, I am so torn.

I have my family up north who I miss so much, and at the same time, when I leave tomorrow, I will be away from my father, who thankfully right now is doing wonderful, as well as this community I have grown fond of.

This puts me in an interesting position. My one foot in a community where I have lived for 30 years, with many connections and relationships with. Where there is a wide variety of folks age-wise all being from the same part of the globe: Northern NJ. A busy, quick moving, noisy group.

My other foot is here in Florida, where the age bracket is 55+, the variety of people is so fascinating, for they are from so many different parts of the globe. There are clubs for the region/state one is originally from. The locals are generally very friendly, move at a slower pace and are more personable. I am still not used to the bagger offering me assistance with bringing my groceries to the car. This does not happen in Jersey.

There is so much to do down here that I know I could be kept very busy and would be able to find my niche. For my dog, Sal, there are three beautiful dog parks to take him to as well. The community is ever expanding and changing with the times. Which I have noticed in the almost 20 years my folks have lived here.

What I find very interesting is going to the community pool and clubhouse. A kind of cornucopia of folks mingling or single-ling in one space. Topics of conversation are what you would expect, yet there are times you hear wisdom from years of life experience or a stuck in the past viewpoint that has never accepted any updating: i.e. "when I was their age..."

Most interesting is that there seems to be acceptance of the physical, bodies that is. You see those of many shapes and sizes, some with oxygen tanks, walkers and wheel chairs going in the pool and enjoying the sun. Inquiries of the status of health of those there and in the community are a big part of the social communication.

And to add to the ambiance is the piping in of music. Songs from the 60's and 70's. Which I forget is "old" music. It is the music of my youth. The words I know, the tunes I hum...… I find it so amusing that songs of drugs, partying, and "not wanting to die before I get old" are coming through the speakers to the vastly grey haired (or like me, hitting the bottle-hair color bottle on a regular basis), worn out bodies. I imagine how everyone looked in their youth and wondered how much they rock n' rolled. For some it seems that the partying was fast and furious; while for some, they haven't stopped, just slowed down.

I just SMH at some of the songs, which was relevant for our group when we were young, holds a different meaning now.

When I heard Rolling Stone's Mother's Little Helper, especially the line; "What a drag it is getting old," I stopped and pondered the fact that at least for me, I am getting old, but I feel a whole lot better in my own skin.