Meet Me at the Corner
A former newspaper reporter who has lived in Franklin for more than 40 years, Marjorie is active in several Franklin and Hales Corners organizations.
How Old Would You Be If You Didn't Know How Old You Are?
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to talk to a group of churchwomen in Winona, Minnesota, on the topic "Never Too Old." Typical of most groups of churchwomen, these were mostly in the over-60 age group, and one delightful woman sitting right in front of me proudly admitted to being 95.
I'm not an expert on the subject of aging, but I do know that as long as a person remains reasonably healthy, there's always something she (or he) can do. In preparation for the talk I brainstormed some ideas and searched the internet for some other interesting tidbits.
C.S. Lewis said: "You're never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream." And do you know about Ann Marie Robertson? Her arthritis caused her to give up a career in embroidery when she was in her 70s, so she took up oil painting instead. Almost everybody knows her -- as Grandma Moses.
While some octogenarians compete in sports and one 95-year-old woman got her college degree, the point I made in my talk is to do those things you enjoy, to use your God-given gifts, and to take time to bring some happiness into the lives of others.
The musical entertainment for the morning was reminiscent of Garrison Keillor -- the Sons of Norway singing songs in Norwegian (and one in English.) I was happy to see they now admit women to their ranks, so they should call themselves the Sons and Daughters of Norway. The man who introduced the musical numbers asked the audience the question in my blog title: "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"
I like that . Sometimes in my heart I'm still a girl . Other times I'm maybe 25 or 30. I see that girl, too, in the eyes of Susan Boyle when she sings her heart out about dreams coming true . I've watched her performance on "Britain's Got Talent" at least a dozen times, and I never tire of her. I'll be in line when her first album is released next month -- happy that she didn't consider herself "too old" to launch a musical career.
I'll end here with a wonderful quote by poet Thomas Bailey Aldrich: "To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent -- that is to triumph over old age."
0 COMMENTS