A NEW OLD FRIEND
A Poem About Aging
When I was young, I wasn’t that crazy about old people. I never wanted to be one.
Ha! But as I’ve aged, I’ve certainly changed my mind on that. In a few years, I hope I have the determination, humility and grace I saw in this octogenarian recently:
There she was humped over
with her white hair blowing in the wind
Trying to get the wire grocery cart with its wobbly wheels over the broken curb.
When I drove by
I saw her kick at one of the rusty wheels with her tattered tennis shoe
Trying to balance the cardboard boxes with her other wrinkled hand.
I circled back.
“Hi! Can I give you a ride?”
“Oh, Sweetheart, that would be really nice. It was a long walk here.”
I wondered where she lived.
“Well, go down this block to the church.
Then turn left & go out past the hospital & the fairgrounds.”
I saw her boxes were filled with newspaper.
“I’m moving in with my daughter soon.”
“I need to wrap up my memories.”
She smiled at me with a toothless grin as she waved goodbye and said,
“It’s too bad I have to leave now”
“Just when I made a friend.”
It’ll Be OK.
“We will always be friends ‘til we’re old & senile. Then we can be new friends.” ~Anonymous
COMMENT: Do you have an older person you admire?
Jan, my neighbor is 86, she is out and about all the time, does water aerobics 3 times a week, travels by herself., enjoys hot tubs, and last year went paddle boarding for the first time! She is a strong Christian women who enjoys every day!
There are a few people I can think of. My mom, 93; Helen 99; Mary Dolby, 95; Milton, 96; Ann, 95. Everyone was so vibrant, until they weren’t. They meet every Saturday for breakfast and dinner on Friday evenings with canes, walkers and then wheelchairs. They laughed and talked about their spouses and children, the good old times, dancing the nights away, traveling and life in general. They all were active until their 90’s and then slowed down hesitantly. My mom always said “Go while your feet can take you”. I’m going, going, going until my boots wear out..👢👢👢