What do you want to be when you grow old?

Uh huh, it was that, not the other one.

We begin with kids, asking them what they'd like to be when they grow up....

Of course, Doctor, teacher, Major League Baseball player, or, like a friend's grandchild said
"I want to be a liar like grandma"... a tad mispronounced as granny is a lawyer....

Or... stolen from some site:

"Like mommy" (and drew a stick picture of her pole dancing)
"Get a girlfriend, kiss her, rule the world." (This sounds recently familiar)
"When I grow up I want to be a dog."
"When I grow up I want to be a mailbox." Hmmm, Ok.

Point is, we plan.

Septua... Octo... Nona... Cente..

As in Septuagenarian (person in their 70's), Octogenarian (80's), Nonagenarian (90's)... Centenarian (100's)..

We don't plan for that. Wonder why? Oh yeah, the smart ones start tucking bucks away young - but as far as this aging transition - I really don't think we do plan so much...

From the years of Christmas Caroling at area Nursing Homes, someone in my HS class said "I see it (Caroling) as an opportunity to shop for my next home." The older we get, the less funny that somehow becomes..

I like to think "maintaining a sense of humor" would be a big thing to plan, keep (or start if we ain't got one.)

One nurse, working in a nursing home, tells of the lady eyeballing her, not remembering her name, or any family names for that matter.. or the fact she'd assisted her in using the restroom earlier.. or that she'd delivered (and picked up) her lunch tray earlier.. but when she approached her, she gazed in her eyes... "Oh I know you, you're my friend." The nurse laughed because she honestly thought she didn't remember anything, "Yes, I am your friend.".. She squeezed the nurse's hand and deadpanned "Now help me get the hell out of here." I can very much see myself relating the same....

My father (Victor, you've told this one).. ahem, my father was having trouble getting in and out of his comfy chair - so we purchased one of those electronic lift chairs... demonstrator spent an hour with dad showing him how to operate.. and as he ended his demonstration he added "and it comes with a massager.".. With zero hesitation my dad asked the guy "Does she spend the night?" I would like to be like that when I grow old(er) but I ain't as quick as my pa.

Bluntness... I'm finding, even at 60-something, this becoming a trait...

Most of us have seen the video of the 103 year old lady answering a call from her 97 year old sister..grumping kinda as she talks.. and after she hangs up she states "I don't know whyinthehell she calls me EVERY DAY to tell me what time she got up, whatinthehell she had for breakfast, what she's wearing.. I don't give a damn about any of that."

We were Christmas Caroling one year (Victor, you've told this one too).. and.. we had a fantastic group of women, but we men literally stunk, and we knew it. As we departed, from a wheelchair we heard "Thank you so much! We enjoyed it, but I'm here to say, I usedta teach the choir in my church and you men could use some help!" Ha, again, we knew that, but ya gotta love blunt.

From the internet:

Learning the not so fun part of life: loss.

Older adults have been thru losing their parents, most have lost a spouse, some even weathered the devastating loss of a child. In their eyes they've seen many hardships, but they learn how to adapt to the sorrow that inevitably comes with life.

Loss of function...

Could be hearing.. could be the inability to walk.. the inability to use the restroom by themselves.. It sounds scary growing older and I'm certain it is, should I/we be lucky enough to get there. In the back of older's minds, they must keep that lucky part - as they accept hardships and its many minor injustices and keep a positive attitude.

Help...

Big pill to swallow - and that's not a pun. We are as a people, prideful. Some older struggle asking for help (I could see me in that group).. but older people must ask for help to keep up.. it's said we must learn to take the quiet, calm, accepting route so many great examples the elderly portray for us.

Starting the day...

"William gets up every morning, goes to the mirror and laughs out loud. He demonstrated this for us, and the room lit up with laughter. He says starting your day with joy - not taking yourself too seriously - is the key to stay young at heart."

Create and nurture meaningful friendships...

"Love and connection are crucial to our vitality. We need to consciously surround ourselves with not only our family, but also with a soul family. Friendships are paramount to a well-lived life." I likes that, I likes that a lot.

Paraphrazing one article: Life experiences.. -> can learn from older.. Dealing with people.. imagine the different kinds of people they've dealt with along the way.. Avoiding regrets in life - we all have them, but older people teach us to live without them.

Neither of my folks were in a nursing home. From the caroling, and from what visits I've had with friends and their parents, I'm very glad to report happy does happen, and it's the usual way. Hope you've observed same.

Recently on Facebook there was a posting about a 97 year old World War II veteran walking in a bar.. had his medals with him.. barkeep comes up, talks to the man, somewhere within the conversation the guy states "Well, nobody really cares what I have to say now.".. Barkeep told him he was going to put that on FB, and and asked for him to come in the next week to see the results, see if that was really true. As I read the post, it had over 5 million views and nearly as many comments. I would liked to have been there on the fella's next visit.

I reckon it's "Enjoy what ya got, while ya got it." We can, should learn from old folks. Good Lord willing, hopefully we'll be one some day.

Love, Victurd