The Core

>lost their sense of play

That's easy to say when you don't hurt.   I've known a (very) few elders that have seemingly breezed into old age without much chronic pain or age-related loss of abilities (that's different than age-related disabilities, imo). 

>lost their sense of play

That's easy to say when you don't hurt.   I've known a (very) few elders that have seemingly breezed into old age without much chronic pain or age-related loss of abilities (that's different than age-related disabilities, imo).  

RC - that's exactly what I was getting at when I posted my original response to Gary.

My grandmother told me once that her best years were he 80s. When I asked why, she said "Everyone around me is in terrible pain and I'm not and nobody can tell you want to do when you're 88." That's a much different standard than when she was younger. This is a woman who won the town Fourth of July footrace when she was 16, beating all the men, and into her early 20s could beat every man in Burlington VT in speed skating. The only time she ever got mad at me that I remember is when she told me she had been the fast skater in town and I said "The fastest girl?" and she boomed "THE FASTEST SKATER!!" with real anger. But by 88 years old, having less pain than her neighbors constituted real happiness.

And for the record, the day before she died, she kicked her great grandson's butt in a game of Crazy Eights. She never lost her sense of play.

PS... among quotes in my life that have hit home are two in my last two posts
 - "It's so festive. I love it"
 - "THE FASTEST SKATER"

But I don't think they would inspire others without knowing the people ;-)

Quote from: rcjordan on August 11, 2016, 04:47:33 PM

>lost their sense of play

That's easy to say when you don't hurt.   I've known a (very) few elders that have seemingly breezed into old age without much chronic pain or age-related loss of abilities (that's different than age-related disabilities, imo).  

RC - that's exactly what I was getting at when I posted my original response to Gary.

My grandmother told me once that her best years were he 80s. When I asked why, she said "Everyone around me is in terrible pain and I'm not and nobody can tell you want to do when you're 88." That's a much different standard than when she was younger. This is a woman who won the town Fourth of July footrace when she was 16, beating all the men, and into her early 20s could beat every man in Burlington VT in speed skating. The only time she ever got mad at me that I remember is when she told me she had been the fast skater in town and I said "The fastest girl?" and she boomed "THE FASTEST SKATER!!" with real anger. But by 88 years old, having less pain than her neighbors constituted real happiness.

And for the record, the day before she died, she kicked her great grandson's butt in a game of Crazy Eights. She never lost her sense of play.

PS... among quotes in my life that have hit home are two in my last two posts
 - "It's so festive. I love it"
 - "THE FASTEST SKATER"

But I don't think they would inspire others without knowing the people ;-)

I'd love to have met your granny, sounds very cool.

Nice story.  My grandmother is still going at 93 BTW.

Yay for her!

My dad is 87 and does not take a single pill. In May he did the last 100K of the pilgrimage of Santiago Compostella and, in his longest day, walked 18 miles (they had planned 6-8 per day for a 9-day walk, but doubled up two days to finish in 7). He was in more than a little pain sometimes though. As my mom always said "Getting old is not for sissies."

At the other end of the spectrum, a quote that really hit home for my wife and I, but it needs a bit of setup.

A couple of months ago, we were awoken at about 6am by screaming kids about 4-6 years old. At first we were grumpy and I didn't want to be the grumpy man who yells "Hey, you kids shut up!" but it was kind of egregious. But then we heard what they were yelling. They were just playing and looking at plants and bugs. We heard one kid yell "Guys! Guys! A worm!" We love it when kids discover nature, so we just listened and watched, eventually migrating to the porch to see. And then this kid, about four years old comes bombing down the hill in front of the house. He looks like he's just barely staying on his feet, not quite having the coordination to run *that* fast. And as he goes by our house he screams with all his heart "Llluuuuckkkkyyy!  Lllluuuucckkyyy! Iiii'mmmm sooooo llluuckky!"

No idea what he saw, but now my wife and I say that to each other all the time, remembering that kid and trying to take time to appreciate the goodness that often surrounds us.

"Getting old is not for sissies."

Just pulling that one out, contender for best of thread award.

Famous quote, often attributed to Bette Davis. The long version is sometimes given as "Getting old is not for sissies, but it sure beats the alternative."

A few years ago I made my mom a mug and some fridge magnets with the quote on it
http://www.cafepress.com/takenforranted.265704106

"Eat a live snake heart beating in rice wine liquor, it will give you testicular fortitude."

Mr Chinn

(video available, message me)

Some days even the baboon misses the branch

Personally, I never believe anything I say.

Ergophobe.  Saved for use when I have had a glass to many.