Wednesday November 25 2015  THANKSGIVING EVE

Since we have Christmas Eve I thought we should celebrate Thanksgiving Eve.  Especially this Thanksgiving Eve.  The reason?  Because I do not need to cook tomorrow, this coming from someone who thoroughly enjoys cooking.  I just don’t like to do it on the holiday.  Instead, we are traipsing down to the Maple Leaf Restaurant for dinner.  But alas, that means no turkey leftovers for the week.  Oh well, I guess I’ll just pick up my fresh 12 to 16 pound turkey at the Bavarian Store in Fitchburg on Friday which I ordered a couple of weeks ago.  It was a little strange ordering it for the day following Thanksgiving but the store clerk said they would have a fresh one for me on Friday.  So, I will cook on Friday instead of Thursday.  Just think of all the good soup I can make with that batch of broth!

A very fruitful day today.  Everything was sent in to the photo lab before closing time tonight.  I will make my deadline for next week.  I worked the entire day to finish all the school’s photo post production work.  Such a rewarding feeling.  But the best prize of all is that I didn’t get dressed the entire day.  I am still in my housecoat from when I woke up this morning.  Love it!  Simply love it!

So now perhaps I will be able to watch my Christmas movies.  Probably not tonight or tomorrow or Friday due to every hour is booked up, but at least I have hope!  After talking to my “older friends” the other night I am intent on doing two things.  The first thing is to do as much as I can do while I can still do it and the other is to practice listening to my body so I’ll know when I am getting old so I can slow down.  I’m looking forward to the first, but not the latter.

Remember the question I asked Virginia and Joe, as you have aged what was the one thing that your caught you unaware and unprepared for?  I keep revising the question so it may be worded a bit differently.  There were eight of us present for John’s 70^th birthday party and every answer was interesting, at least to me.  Remember that I am intent on learning all I can about all I can.  I decided I wanted to see old age through the lives of those who are experiencing it firsthand.  At least some are realizing they are experiencing it.

This was my question to everyone, IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT AGING SURPRISED YOU WITH, WHAT WOULD IT BE?  The first person I asked was John.

John’s response:

“I FEEL SO YOUNG!  HOW BLESSED I AM TO FEEL THIS GOOD AT 70.  I THOUGHT I WOULD BE OLD BY NOW AND I’M NOT.” 

I would say that would be a good surprise.  I feel the same but I am not quite as old as John yet.”

Dave’s comment:

“YOUR MIND WRITES CHECKS THAT YOUR BODY CANNOT CASH.”

I do find Dave’s comment true!

I then asked Jody the same thing.  Here is her response:

“WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR AS YOU GET OLDER, BUT YOU STILL FEEL LIKE THE 16 OR 17 YEAR OLD, LIKE THE YOUNG PERSON YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON THE INSIDE…IT FEELS STRANGE BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WOULD FEEL OLDER.”

My response to her was that I knew what she meant.  I used the analogy regarding the fact that every day, just like everyone else does, I look into the mirror and I never look any different than I did yesterday.  And if that is the case, then why do I look like this now when I didn’t look like this 30 years ago or 20 years ago or even 5 years ago?

Bob was the next.

“I’D BE KIND OF LEFT IN THE SAME BOAT AS JOHN.  I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU LORD, ANOTHER GOOD DAY.”

I think that would be a pretty good boat to be in.  I wonder if there is room for me?

Jody’s husband Don was next.

“I’M SURPRISED BOTH WAYS. SURPRISED WHAT I CAN STILL DO, CUTTING FIRE WOOD, SPLITTING WOOD WITH A MAUL, CLIMBING LADDERS, WORKING ON THE ROOF OF MY HOUSE, BUT ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE, I AM SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH STRENGTH I’VE LOST.  I USED TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP A COUPLE OF HUNDRED POUNDS AND NOW 50 POUNDS IS ABOUT IT.  I DON’T HAVE THE ENDURANCE I USED TO HAVE.  THAT CAUGHT ME UNAWARE.”

And next was Maryann:

“YOU KNOW THE FIRST TIME I REALLY FELT THAT I WAS GETTING OLDER WAS LAST YEAR AND IT CAUGHT ME UNAWARE.  I THOUGHT, LIKE THIS ISN’T FAIR.  I AM 74 YEARS OLD. (Dave asked her what she thought it was that caused her to be aware of it last year?)  HER REPLY:  “IT WAS JUST DOING THE WORK I LOVED TO DO, BEING OUTSIDE.  DOING EVERYTHING OUTSIDE.  I COULD JUST LIVE OUT THERE IF WE WEREN’T HERE.  IT WAS HARD ON ME.  ACTUALLY JUST A WINTER AGO WHEN WE WERE SHOVELING THINGS I FELT I AM OLDER, THIS BRINGS IT OUT.  I AM OLDER I CAN TELL.  THIS YEAR, JUST GOING OUT TO GET THE PAPER, SHOVELING MY WAY TO THE MAILBOX, I SAID OH MY GOSH, I AM ANOTHER YEAR OLDER AND I KNOW IT.  IT TOOK ME 72 YEARS TO FIGURE THAT OUT IN MY AGING.  ALL OF OUR LIVES SEEM LIKE THEY GO SWOOSH, FASTER AND FASTER, ACCELERATING.  BETWEEN 70 AND 80 YOU AGE HALF AGAIN AS MUCH.”

WOW!  I thought.  Am I in trouble!

Carolyn’s turn was last but not least.

“WELL, JUST COME BACK WHEN I’M A HUNDRED AND I’LL TELL YOU.  BUT, I WILL SAY THAT I THINK THAT AGING IS A GIFT AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SLOW DOWN AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WEAKEN SO THAT YOU ARE READY TO GO HOME.  BUT IT GIVES YOU TIME TO MEDITATE.  SO IT IS A GIFT.  AGING IS A GIFT.”

 

I don’t know about you but I found these diverse answers quite interesting.  Some of the surprises I have experienced, some I have not.  Carolyn’s answer was more in alignment with my thoughts.  I have actually stated that I think aging is a gift.  Every year is a gift from God.  Yes, there are things I will face in the future that may be difficult, but I hope that I will be able to accept every day with grace and thanksgiving for all that I can do, and not grieve over those things which I have lost the ability to do.  The greatest gift that aging has given me is the awareness that I really do believe that God gives his children the gift of these “twilight” years so that we can grow in our relationship with Him.  We can take more time to read the scripture and study His word so that we can gain a better understanding of who He is.  I have never before experienced such closeness to God that I have experienced these past seven or eight years.  I receive this time of growing older as a beautiful gift.  Thank you Carolyn for speaking your words.

I do not go into old age unaware that I will slow down.  I learned that lesson from my mother.  She used to tell me that she was so tired and always thought if she just napped she would awaken with more energy and be able to get more accomplished.  It took her awhile to realize that her body didn’t work that way anymore.  I think it was difficult for her at first, but as I watched her, she adapted to go at the pace she could do.  Just like Maryann, she lived to be outside.  She lived to be in her garden. Her garden was her home. She lived to be in her 90’s.  Dementia was her companion the last few years, but I truly believe that her old age was a gift from God.  I do not believe I have ever known anyone else as close to God as my mother was.  Her old age was also a gift to me.

I took that lesson to heart.  Enjoy what I do, do as much as my body will allow and to know when to slow.  From the time I first remember my mother I thought she was old.  She was in her early thirties when I was born and from the time when I was about 5 or 6 I remember her being so old to me.  Well, she lived over six more decades.  The older I became, the younger she became.  I am learning every day.  I learned something from each person who shared their response above.  I say to all of you, thank you for sharing your heart and being open and honest with your responses.  Who knows, perhaps someday I’ll write a book with just a list of all that old age surprises people with along their life’s journey.  We each have just one turn at life.  This is my turn.  I choose to enjoy it while I have it, share my love with others who will receive it, and look forward to my home going to meet my God when that time comes.  Until then, I think I’ll just get to know Him a little better each day.

 

THE GIFT OF YEARS

By Kathleen Martens

November 25, 2015

 

“THE GIFT OF YEARS”

Is the title of a book.

Go to the library

And take a look.

 

Joan Chittister

Is the lady’s name

Who this book

Has called to fame.

 

Though I’ve not read it,

I will soon.

For it is reserved

At the Library room.

 

Read all you’re able,

And allow every day

To expand your horizons,

As you go your way.

 

Life is too short

To not learn all you can.

If I am growing old

I’ll do it like a man!

 

Well, I would if I was

But I am not,

For I am still a lady

Long ago caught.

 

So I guess I will age

In a stately grace

As I grow shorter

With a wrinkled face.

 

Oh the joys

Of looking ahead

At all we can do

Before we are dead.

 

But when I die

It’s in body alone,

For my eternal spirit,

Will at last be home!

 

Thank you Maryann for sharing the title of the book “THE GIFT OF YEARS” by Joan Chittister.  I look forward to reading it soon.

It seems as if every day I find that new readers are reading my blog.  If anyone has a topic that they would like me to discuss I am open for suggestions.  Just go to the “Contact” tab and write me an email.  I love hearing the comments from readers even if I am not open to public forum.

Good night to you friends.  May God bless you on your THANKSGIVING DAY.  Make every day a day of THANKSGIVING!