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Planning for the Future While Living in the Present

As I wind down from another whirlwind year of travel and nonstop activity, I find myself reflecting on what truly matters.

There’s a revelation bubbling up inside me: we’ve all been tricked into overachieving, chasing a dream that’s not ours. Unless your goal is unimaginable wealth, you don’t have to play this relentless game.

If happiness and peace are your goals, the rat race is a lie—and let’s face it, who really wants to win a race against a rat?

This year has been a wake-up call in so many ways. Friends have fallen ill, reminding me how precious our health is. It’s heart-wrenching and terrifying, but it’s also made me more determined than ever to live well, eat well, and cherish every moment.

A recent visit to a care home brought these feelings into sharp focus. A dear family friend, now battling dementia, was placed in a facility that I can only describe as a nightmare.

The place was rundown, the staff overworked and curt, and the residents were lost in a fog of confusion. Yet somehow, when I walked in, they all recognised me.

“Sinitta! Love, how are you?” one woman said with a sparkle in her eye. Another chimed in, “You’re so macho! Sing us a song, will you?”

It was surreal, almost like stepping into a dream where everyone remembered me even though they didn’t know who they were.

One man clutched a broken radio, convinced he’d summoned me through the static. “They just played your song—‘Love is Good’—and there you were!” he said with a smile that broke my heart.

Despite the cheer they mustered for my visit, the place itself was grim. Blood on the bathroom floor. Neglected patients. Staff too busy to offer kindness. I left in tears, my heart aching for those who deserved so much better.

In stark contrast, I later visited another friend, Floyd from Hot Gossip, in a care home that was the polar opposite. Clean, warm, and inviting, with a staff that genuinely cared. It was a reminder that dignity in old age shouldn’t depend on luck or money—but sadly, it often does.

This has got me thinking: What will happen to us when we’re older? If we don’t plan, will we end up in a place like the first one, forgotten and frustrated? Or can we take control now, ensuring our homes, savings, and belongings secure a safe, happy future for us?

It’s not just about us, either. For those of us with ageing parents or friends, we have to step up. Visit them often. Advocate for their care. Make sure they’re loved, respected, and safe.

And above all, let’s not wait until it’s too late to enjoy life. Spend time with your loved ones. Make memories. Celebrate the elders in your life while they’re still here.

Yes, life is short, but it can also be long. Let’s plan for both. Let’s prepare for elderhood with the same care and enthusiasm we pour into everything else. And if we never need that plan? Well, that’s the ultimate bonus.