Carols fill the crisp, clean air. There’s a bit of a chill – I might consider a sweater. I look past the palm trees to marvel at the snow on the mountain tops. Ah, winter in Palm Springs. It’s a lovely respite from slush on the sidewalks and a brief glimpse into a different world.
I’ve just spent three days celebrating the 50th birthday of the brother of a dear friend. At 50, he’s been bought out of his position as President of a major organization and is contemplating next steps. This is what success looks like: a smiling man surrounded by family and friends from at least three cities and all phases of his life.
I spent the afternoon shopping with his wife and her friends. After hitting the upscale discount mall we adjourned to Hadley’s for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and date shakes. None of these women have paid employment. Each has a full life. They are nearly finished raising their children and now are filling in the newly-emptied space with volunteer work, board memberships, charity sponsorships, book clubs, golf – a long list of activities to keep the mind and body young and to enrich the spirit. Each is vibrant in her own way, and they revel in their long friendship even as they make a stranger feel welcomed as one of them.
One of the Birthday Boy’s sisters is an antique dealer, so another morning, after blitzing one of the many casinos, we hit the thrift shops. It’s a marvel to watch her and her business partner husband take in the entire contents of a store in under ten minutes, swooping up a few items that will sell well in their shop.
What’s the secret here? Spending time someplace like Palm Springs reminds me that everything is possible. My old friends and new friends have created full lives. The have remained open and aware. They experiment. They enjoy each day.
As I deplaned in New York, someone asked the woman behind me if she lived in Palm Springs. "Not yet," she replied. "I’m getting my life together so that I can stay there."
What do you need to plan to create the life of your dreams? Is your winter wonderland strolling along Palm Canyon Drive or building a snowman in Vermont?
