WHEN I WAS LITTLE

Sometimes it is hard to remember when I was little, if I stop and think about it.  At times those flashbacks come without any thought.  I am having more and more of those lately.  I think it is because I am what I would have called in my younger years, an old person.  There is no doubt about it.  Oh, I like to say that I don't feel old and my mind is still young.  All I have to do is try to get out of bed every morning and the old, creaky bones let me know.  "Lady, you are no longer young."  When I go into the bathroom and look in the mirror, I know I am an old lady.  Not just any old lady, but my own mother! Almost everyone says that.  All of us old ladies do not look like our mothers.  It is biologically impossible.  Our father's genes are in their somewhere. I think we see our mothers because we do have some similarities and we put those together with our imagination and there is our mother.  Of course some daughters could pass for twins of their mothers. Now back to my point.....when I was little I put everyone into three categories.....children, adults (which included parents, school teachers, and service people), and old people.  I thought it was many, many years until I would be an old person.  Maybe by the time I got there science would have a miracle drug to make us young again. I didn't give it too much thought because I couldn't picture myself old. It seemed as long as ten Christmases away.  I enjoyed my childhood but I wanted so badly to grow up fast.  At one point when I was very young,  I thought children grew up overnight.  I kept waiting.  Finally I realized it took a long process.  When I became a teen-ager the time started to pass faster.  Before I knew it I was graduating from high school.  I had the most important decision to make.....what would I do now?  After considering several careers I came up with nursing.  The time flew.  Although I didn't graduate I jumped right into marriage and motherhood.  Some days I didn't look at the calendar.  More children came along and the years flew by, except when you held a sick baby in your arms waiting for a diagnosis, except when you sat by a telephone waiting for that call to let you know your child had arrived safely to basic training. The years were on the fast track by then but most of the time you didn't notice.  Then the first great-grandchild was born. You begin to feel your body slowing down.  It seemed that you couldn't do all the things you had planned in your retirement years.  There were more doctors appointments with "ologist" after the malady you were seeking help for. There were the urologist, oncologist, ophthalmologist, psychologist, gerontologist,the rheumatologist, the audiologist, the neurologist, the gynecologist, oncologist, and on and on.  You get the picture.
     Going to doctors was not enough for me.  I felt that I should be giving back to my community.
At first it was slow going but before I knew it I was almost as busy as when I worked a full time job.  There was one major difference.  I chose my activities and hours.  There was little stress and in the process of volunteering I made many new friends. Life was good. Although health problems have come along, I'm still able to do most of the activities I desire.  Teaching and helping others is the best medicine for all those annoying illnesses of old age.  If I had to stay home and sit in my rocking chair all day doing nothing, soon I would be able to do nothing but sit in my rocking chair.

My advise to those senior citizens who have just moved here after retirement;  look at the list of volunteer opportunities listed in the Sun News once a week.  Find one that suits your talents and interests and get busy.  You will enjoy "old age."  I promise.

My grandmother, Ethel Patterson Bays
Age at death-19 years