All of us who are part of this lunch program have lived long lives. I used to think of age 60 as old —yet here I am at 83. We “oldsters” are the fastest growing segment of the population.
But we aren’t alone. Everyone is getting older — that process started the day they were born. We’re just ahead of the pack.
And that’s not all bad. Through the years we’ve gained wisdom and experience.
Depending on when we grew up, life was different — like the telephone party lines, milk delivery in glass bottles or playing hopscotch, dodgeball, or jump rope outside until it got dark.
When we were kids, we looked different, dressed different, and dreamed dreams that are hard to
recognize today. Back then, girls often grew up to be teachers, secretaries, or nurses and not much else.
We could understand the lyrics on our 78 rpmrecords. The speed limit was usually 60. We
pretended to be Roy Rogers or Dale Evans or whatever cowboy was featured at the drive-in
movie.
Later came Howdy Doody, the Mickey Mouse Club, and Beverly Hillbillies on black and white TV screens.
Some of us lived through ration stamps and fathers away at war. We witnessed the Korean War and riots against the Viet Nam war. We saw a President resign and then the 1900’s turn into the 2000’s.
Now here we are turning the pages of life’s calendar once again. And who are we?
We are no longer those kids but are the girls with the grandmother faces or the boys with grandfather faces. But deep inside, we are the same people who have done our best through whatever life handed us. Those experiences shaped us, bringing knowledge, wisdom, sadness, joy and even regrets. We’ve learned more about living than we often
realize.
As we get older, life will inevitably throw us morechallenges—whether from loss, health issues, or unexpected circumstances. But this isn’t the time to stop living a productive, meaningful life. We’re never too old to gain new knowledge, embrace new experiences, or create fresh memories.
It all comes down to attitude. With imagination and openness, we can discover new ways to make life fulfilling. If we resist change and refuse to expand our horizons, loneliness and boredom can take hold. But we have the power to prevent that.
The past year has been a difficult one for me as I’ve made the transition from a marriage of 63 years to being a widow and living alone. Widowhood changes life in ways that can never be undone. It’s almost like starting over. I’m not saying life is better without my husband—it’s simply different.
So, surprise yourself as I am trying to do. As the Serenity Prayer says, accept the things you cannot change, work on the things you can change, and use your wisdom to know the difference.