I felt connected

Today I attended the eightieth birthday party of a woman who is in my luncheon club. She is someone who laughs with everyone, tells the funniest of jokes, is so "with it" in terms of her knowledge of the day to day and makes everyone around her feel as ageless as she feels. I must admit, I was utterly shocked that we were celebrating her 80th birthday as I am still remembering the celebration of my mother's eightieth birthday two years ago. Somehow, the fact that I am "friends" in a peer-like situation with someone who is my mother's age is shocking to me. I have such an easy relationship with this friend-- something that I do not have with my own mother. I know that is something of the norm, but I don't even have the same sense of perspective when I think of these two indidviduals. I guess one will always look at their mother as someone whose age is a distant reality and one unique to them.

Maybe, not knowing my friend's age has been the reason that I was able to "be myself" and treat her like a friend as opposed to an "elder". Was I brash and disrespectful? I think not. I merely treated her the way I would anyone I met. It is a situation that gives me pause.

When I enter a new situation, I am a person who begins a conversation immediately, with anyone who will listen. I do not look for "like" people -- as I don't know who is "like" me when I enter a room. I just look for a friendly face and a look of interest. I then begin to share emotions and information. I realize that I am a person with few secrets. I don't like to hide my life as I find that when I do, I always end up "misfiring information" -- that is to say, I share the wrong things at the wrong moment. I always like to be up front and let the world in. It makes any situation, good or bad, so much easier to assimilate or to tolerate (as the case may be). All that said, I do not look for ages of people when Ienter into a new situation. Merely a commonality in interest or in situation.

When I go to exercise classes, I have several "acquaintances" that I would refer to as my "exercise friends". They, invariably, are much younger than I as I am among the oldest in any of my classes. I actually don't think of them in terms of years --- that is until I bring in pictures of my grandson and share them with the other "mothers" who have children his age!

So, as I think of my lunch, I realize that my friend is actually very much like me in that she is ageless in her friendships as I am in mine. And in just a few years, I will be celebrating my 80th with a group of people who will be the ages of my children!

Time does march on and as it does, the more I realize how much the same people are -- at any age. Just people who enjoy living, laughing, and loving. At the end of any day, that is what is really important. It is at times such as these, that I realize the importance of grasping each and every moment to savor the rich and exciting parts of life. It will keep you young at heart -- and in spirit. That is what makes a person whole and the vibrant element of each day.