I read an article in Ode by Zalman Schacter-Shalomi called "From old age to new sage: Make the most out of your life by becoming a spiritual elder." He suggests "harvesting" our life. He began his harvest by asking himself, "If I had to die now, what would I most regret not having done? What remains incomplete in my life?"
His first step in "harvesting" his life was to meditate on his children and pray for their welfare. He then wrote each one a letter of "mushy" stuff. He also set new priorities for his professional life and personal relationships.
He feels he visited the mountaintop where he saw a vision of himself as an elder, and then, set about to bring his vision down to earth.
Not all of us have children, and not all of us would choose to do it quite that way, but I think it is important for each of us to consider, no matter what our age, what we have now and what we foresee and want to create. The five year old is an elder to the four year old. How do we advise and inspire?
Yesterday, someone shared that she knew a woman who chose after she finished her cancer treatment to each day do something she once feared. She drove a motorcycle from here to Florida. Then, she looked for her next challenge to overcome. I haven't yet decided my way, other perhaps than to know each day I need some quiet time, some renewing time. Solitude is a milk shake I choose for a portion of each day. That is how it is today, and tomorrow, I may get on a motorcycle and ride to somewhere new in myself.
Consider. What do you want to do? What is yours to complete? What apple do you want to take from the tree, and eat?