Friday, January 21, 2011

Today's "Let's Chat" Question:

What one fear would you like to conquer?

Mine?
Old age.

Being old.

Incapacitated.

Frail.

Senile.

I'm watching my dad navigate his way around old age, and it fears me. I don't have a partner who is committed to making sure I live the last days of my life with dignity and comfort. I will be placed (at my request) in a care facility at the first sign of dementia, that's a given. And no one will want to pluck my chin for me so I'll have a beard.

And visiting me? Won't be fun. I get that.

So I'll have to make friends with the other residents. And get us all making crafts with glue and pom poms on Wednesday nights in the activity room. No scissors though.

And I'll forget that I love to read. And I'll forget that I need glasses to see small things. And I'll forget what I just said and say it again. And I'll forget that I love to read. SEE WHAT I MEAN.

And I'll watch 10 Things I Hate About You, Chocolat, Anne of Green Gables, and Back to the Future over and over again. And fall in love with Heath and Johnny every 10 minutes like it's the first time.

And I'll have a beard.

And while I sit here, worrying about getting old, there on TV, right now, at midnight on Jay Leno are the oldest living twins. They just celebrated their 100th birthday; cute as buttons. And neither of them drooled or was vacant.

And now they're done, so over on David Letterman, is Wanda Jackson, rock and rolling with her band. She was born in 1937. And she held her own.

And I'm remembering yesterday's interview with Betty White. She was wonderful. And SHE was born in 1922. So it's possible.

Some people do manage to make it all the way to the end of their days with alert minds. Oh I so hope I do too. Please God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Had an unexpected visitor tonight. She came over at around midnight and sat on my counter. We chatted for a few minutes and then she had to go back to Florida to bake a cake for her husband. I LOVE FACEBOOK CHAT.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Craig Ferguson is a little bit funny, no?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I need a system for dealing with paper that enters my house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oy. Got a few minutes? Listen to nienie's story. (She survived a burning plane crash.)
Now my new fear is being burned.
And not having my own Mr. Nielson to hold my hand through the recovery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Testimonies like nienie's.
2. 100 year old twins who sing silly songs on National TV.
3. It's Thursday Night.

Shalom,

3 comments:

vanessa said...

I like what you wrote about old age. you write like me. your mind drifts and drifts and drifts and the reader drifts with you :)

valerie said...

I will pluck your chin hairs. I do stuff like that. REMEMBER PS?

janicenikkel said...

And I like the imagery of your friend visiting you at midnight and sitting on your counter. . . I actually would come do that. I just might some time soon!!