Kim Mettache: Discovering Passion After 50

Today’s post is a special one–it is from my friend, Kim Mettache. Kim and I met years ago through the Association of Late-Deafened Adults. Here, Kim shares her story of how she tapped into the energy of passion after the age of 50. I’ve had the pleasure of watching her grow by leaps and bounds. Kim tests the boundaries of passion on a daily basis!

A few years ago, I was browsing Facebook and I came across a posting from Karen Putz. She mentions how she found her passion in life again. In barefoot skiing of all things! I couldn’t stop thinking about that post. Could I find a passion of my own like Karen had, even at 50? There had to be something I could do…maybe not barefoot skiing, but something I could call my own passion. (I couldn’t be a copycat, and I didn’t even have access to a speed boat anyways).

I wanted to celebrate turning 50 with something BIG! I had been running for a while – 5Ks, 10Ks, some half marathons here and there, but nope, running was NOT my passion. I hated running. I couldn’t figure out what was missing. I thought back to my past. I used to be a swimmer back in high school. I decided to look up triathlons. I figured I could try it–I could swim, I’ve improved my running, and I’ve been on a bike or two.

I signed up with a local triathlete group and hit the ground running…literally. Training started immediately and I was in the newcomers group. There were swimming lessons, biking sessions, and running sessions. My first day of swimming lessons, my coach put me in the first lane. Not the dreaded first lane! That’s where they put the slow pokes or those who cannot swim well. Me, a high school varsity swimmer, in the slow lane?

I was offended.

Very quickly, the coach realized that I could swim and moved me into the faster lane. That was better!

On the first day of bike riding, the coach said that we would be riding twelve miles. I thought I was going to DIE. Twelve miles!? I had never biked that far.

Over time, riding became easier. I started to enjoy the training sessions.  I completed  my first triathlon in April 2014, a whole two months before my 50th birthday. I achieved my goal! I could proudly say I was a triathlete!

Since that first triathlon, I’ve done 17 triathlons. My passion was infectious–I even got Karen interested in trying a triathlon! I was there to witness her first triathlon at the Espirit de She in Naperville.

I have started to break away from triathlons, and moving more into long distance bike riding with 2 different riding clubs. Our average ride is 25 to 35 miles. I have done a few charity rides, where we do 100 miles, or just 62 miles.

In December of 2017, someone asked me if I knew of someone in my neighborhood who would be interested in running for Town Council. I told him I would get back to him soon if I thought of anyone.

I couldn’t think of anyone.

I sent him a message, saying that no, I couldn’t think of anyone, but I thought I would offer up my own name. I asked him if I would be a good candidate and he immediately said “YES”! The only requirements were two:  be a resident of the ward and have voted in the last election. Thank goodness, I take my right to vote seriously, having voted in every primary and general election.

After a conversation with the chairman of the political party, I checked just to make sure that she was aware that I was deaf. I wanted to make sure it would be no problem to be a deaf candidate.

“Absolutely not, you would be a ground-breaking individual,” she responded.

I was so relieved–finally it didn’t matter if I could hear or not! I showed up at a political meeting on Monday to get signed up, making my candidacy official. The Director for the Board of Elections came by and notarized my papers, I had officially thrown my hat into the voting ring–I was really running for office! I couldn’t have been happier, I may have cried tears of joy!  The next day at the Lake County Courthouse, my name was up on a board with all the other candidates running. This was really happening. Kim Mettache for Town of Dyer Council Ward 4!

Since that day, I also was asked to run for Precinct Committee Person and delegate. I said, why not? In May, I was on the ballot THREE times! It was so awesome to see my name in print among those running for Senator and State Representatives! I did win my Precinct seat 75 percent to 25 percent of the votes! I won one of two seats for delegate out of four people running. Winning delegate gave me the opportunity to attend the State Convention in Indianapolis in June. I requested real-time captioning for my access needs and it was approved. Captioning at the convention was provided for the first time ever!

People do ask how it all starts? Grassroots, from the bottom up. My passion for serving goes back a few years. I was one of the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities Graduates, Class of 2007. Our homework assignments required political volunteering hours. I volunteered at the polling place at the General election, campaigning for a Town Council board member. I also worked as a clerk at the polls at the Primary. We toured the State House in Indianapolis, where we sat in the Senate and House of Representatives chambers. We learned to advocate for our disability in this class. This year, I’m now campaigning for myself for Town Council. I also help other candidates with canvassing. We go door to door and give out candidate material and ask them to vote for us in November! Anyone can help with a campaign, and/or run for office!

I am so thankful to Karen, for opening my eyes to my passions! Now it’s your turn–tap into YOUR gifts!

Grab some passion here: Unwrapping Your Passion