Catch your second wind in life, work and play

By Michele Harms, AARP Nebraska Student Intern

In late May, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Second Wind Tour presented by Dr. Bill Thomas and sponsored by AARP's Life Reimagined  and Capital Impact Partners in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Second Wind tour is making stops in 25 locations throughout the United States embracing and encouraging new conversations about aging, growth and the re-imagination of life after retirement. Dr. Thomas wants participants to develop a new way to think about ways in which one can build deeper and more connected relationships.

 

The premise of Dr. Thomas’ book, “ Second Wind,” focuses on “navigating the passage to a slower, deeper and more connected life.” Too many times, we get caught up in the fast paced way of American life and forget to take time for the simple, yet very rewarding and enjoyable things in life.

One of the stories shared at the program was by a woman who spoke of being stuck behind a semi-truck on the highway in construction only being able to go a fraction of the normal speed limit.

She told us of the beauty of the landscape she’d never noticed before having always been traveling at a faster pace and never taking the time to look at her surroundings. She compared this to our busy adult lives, always rushing from place to place, always having some task at hand that we forget to slow down and take in what is happening around us.

Her story reminded me to slow down and enjoy those who surround my life on a daily basis and enjoy where I’m at in life.

To find out more about reimagining your life, visit AARP's Life Reimagined. If you’re interested in catching a “second wind” in life, work and play, check out the Second Wind Tour.

Michele Harms served as a student intern with AARP Nebraska from June 2013 through May 2014 while completing her nursing degree. She has a keen interest in geriatric health care and policy, and will soon begin her career as a registered nurse.