Lessons from my mother. Part 4.

My mother never thought of herself as old.  And her goal was to spend as much time as possible with people who were younger than she was.  She was often heard saying this never-to-be forgotten sentence.  Why would I want to spend my time with people my age?  All they want to talk about is their aches and pains.  I have plenty of them...and I don't want to be reminded!

I'm not sure where the scene above took place.  Somewhere in the mountains of southwestern Virginia near Blacksburg where she was visiting my brother Derek and his family is all I know.  I think it must have been late summer or early fall.  You will notice the flowers in my mom's hair.  And you will notice that she is probably the only person there who had an AARP membership.

My mom always gravitated to young people.  Her greatest joy was teaching young girls and boys.  She loved to run with them, play baseball, kick the soccer ball around, hit a tennis ball so hard it was almost impossible to return.  And she loved to talk to them too.  Her favorite age group was kids at that difficult age of adolescence....around 12 to 15.  That was the group she always liked to teach and hang out with.  They are so interesting to be with. They haven't figured out who or what they are.  And they are looking at all the possibilities.  Not spoiled by failure.  Not touched by success...yet.  Ready to become adults...but not ready yet!  Fascinating.

My mom had a special rapport with teenagers and pre-teens that I only acquired late in my teaching career.  And babies.  She loved little ones too.  Any shape or size.  It wasn't that she didn't feel a  connection with her peers.  She had many close friends who were near her age and she liked to go around with them.  But if she could, she would find a group of children and listen to them talking and watch them play. 

She showed me something very important as she grew older.  You are only as decrepit as you think you are.  Your joints ache.  Your feet don't want to go as fast they once did.  You may not be able to dance all night with stopping.  But, golly, at least you can try.  You are young in your heart.  You are young in your mind.  Your body may be older, but never ever stop being interested in young people and children.  That was her secret.  And I want it to be my secret too.

Thank you Mom for showing me that you are never too old to be young again.