Simple Things

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

I took a furlow for the weekend but now I am back. I wanted to tell you about my lunch with my mother and grandmother on Friday but the afternoon went longer than expected, in fact the weekend went longer than expected; so let me fill you in on the details.

On Friday my mother and grandmother picked me up to take me out to lunch for food and friendly conversation. Now my grandmother is 91 years old, a small, frail little woman, that in her time was quite a force. I should say hidden force; she always handled everything from behind the scenes. Like if you wore a shirt she did not like; when it went to the laundry it just never returned. The funny thing was she thought we never knew. But that is another topic.




Off to lunch we went. We went to one of those all you eat buffets, affectionately know as a "hog trough." My grandmother eats well at these places so it is often the destination when she is along. She drives her walker like she is navigating on ice, trying very slowly to go forward yet unsure of her next move. At 91 she has lost most of her motor skills; though she never was a speed demon. Anyway, lunch was very  pleasant with a ton of conversation about family and friends and a lot of "I don't remember that." It was a good day, but I have several revelations about my grandmother and me.

It is funny how when you get that old you start to remember things that I'm sure earlier in your life you could not have recalled if you had to. Childhood memories of your first bike ride, your first pet, how you survived the great Depression, your first vacation away from home.  Simple things we take for granted at our age but when we get to her age will mean the most.

Makes you wonder about this generation. What will be their memories? Right now they are having trouble with a recession let alone a depression. They will be telling their kids; I remember my first cell phone, I remember my high score on....., we never wanted to out and play. (Though their kids may not even have that option.) I remember spending all my time in the best cubicle going, worked 70 hours a week.


I guess what I am trying to say is cherish those simple things that pass your way. Take time to just create simple, fun little times that one day will come back to bring a smile to your face. One day that may be all you have and I wish for you like my grandmother that this is all you need to later in life bring a smile to your face.

Until later


Going UP