A Glimpse Into the Future
Today I went with a friend to celebrate her mother's 99th birthday in a nursing home. It wasn't a unique experience. I have visited many similar places over the years, so nice, some not. This place was very nice -- for being a nursing home.
The help was friendly and attentive. The accommodations were nice, clean and cheerful. There were no awful smells. The patients seemed to be well cared for.
But I never want to have to live in a place like that. I have to face the fact that I don't really want to get old. I don't want to lose my teeth and hair and hearing and eyesight.
Then again, I don't suppose any of us really look forward to the birthdays beyond where we are now. I've got more gardens to plant, more books to write, maybe even a few more quilts in me.
None of us is guaranteed tomorrow -- but darn it, I'm going to work darn hard at keeping on keeping on. I don't really think much of the alternative.
The help was friendly and attentive. The accommodations were nice, clean and cheerful. There were no awful smells. The patients seemed to be well cared for.
But I never want to have to live in a place like that. I have to face the fact that I don't really want to get old. I don't want to lose my teeth and hair and hearing and eyesight.
Then again, I don't suppose any of us really look forward to the birthdays beyond where we are now. I've got more gardens to plant, more books to write, maybe even a few more quilts in me.
None of us is guaranteed tomorrow -- but darn it, I'm going to work darn hard at keeping on keeping on. I don't really think much of the alternative.
posted by Jane Bierce | 8:35 PM
1 Comments:
Just this AM I got that little glimpse when the clerk at the coffeehouse called me Ma'm in a very deferent tone. Instead of being pleased, I was bummed cause my self image is about 32yr old instead of the 58 yr old reality!
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