Learning not to take things for granted

From about 11 years until I was about 15 I had piano lessons. I enjoyed my lessons, my teacher Mrs Carmichael was a large lady, but very kind. I remember I used to come downstairs and practice my pieces before breakfast. It was no chore, I loved doing it. When Mrs Carmichael retired I had to go to another teacher. I didn't like this man, he wasn't the rotund, jolly teacher I was used to, so the excuse that my swimming was getting in the way of my piano lessons was an easy out. As I got older I would tell myself - one day you must go back to piano lessons........
I watch tv and find the program 'Mantracker'. It's everyone's wish to beat Mantracker, the guy on horseback who can hunt you down in the wilds of Canada. I realise that even if I had the chance, I wouldn't be able to beat Mantracker despite the strategies i have devised watching the program.
As I learn to live with the arthritis that I seem to have inherited from my mother, I'm beginning to understand that there are some things that have been put on the back burner for too long, or pipe dreams that have to stay as such. I no longer have the ability to span an octave on the piano, and to be honest, to manage to play a tune using all 10 fingers may be unrealistic. Some of my fingers have minds of their own, are clumsy & will do only what they want to do, and I'm suddenly - and sharply - reminded of my mum who would go 'Oooch, my thooms', and we would roll our eyes, because there was never any thing to see around mums thumbs to give her cause for such an outburst. But hey, I know what she meant! As I try REALLY hard not to ooch in company! And no, there is nothing to see around my thumbs, but man, they can really, really hurt.
I couldn't escape from Mantracker, I'd just be along the road when my hip would start giving me grief. maybe the adrenalin of that might stave off the discomfort there. I can only wonder!
There are lots of wee activities that I would like to be able to do now that are no longer on my agenda. Like doing a cartwheel or a handstand. My wrists would protest, my hands can't flatten out enough to be a support. Maybe in a moment of frustration & with the anticipated adrenalin rush I may just get upside down again. I'll have to plan it though, with painkillers before - and probably after, but what the heck!