Am I Selfish?

A    L    O    H    A   !

" Aging 

is not lost youth 

but a new stage 

of opportunity 

and strength. "

Betty Friedan

" To keep the heart 

unwrinkled, 

to be hopeful,

 kindly, cheerful, 

reverent--

that is to triumph 

over old age. "

 Thomas Bailey Aldrich

" The best part 

about being 

my age

 is in knowing 

how my life 

worked out. "

 Scott Adams

" Nothing is inherently

 and invincibly young 

except spirit. 

And spirit can enter

 a human being 

perhaps better

 in the quiet of old age 

and dwell there

 more undisturbed

 than in the turmoil

 of adventure. "

George Santayana

" For the unlearned, old age is winter;
 for the learned,
 it is the season of 
the harvest. "

Hasidic saying

   ><}}(°>

Ever since childhood

I have been passionate

about "old" people.

Passionate in my appreciation,

of their sheer survival

and all that they have seen.

 

I have always found them

"Cool."

Even a simple person

who lives to be 'aged'

is blessed,

possessing a knowing

that the smartest youth

cannot understand.

Anyone who cheats,

harms, or misleads a senior

is the lowest form of life

in my eyes.

 

But now I face a dilemma:

to defend seniors

is beginning to

look an awful lot

like defending my own

interests.

 

I've always been more 

comfortable

advocating for others

than selling for myself.

 

Is it OK for me to feel

that I am one

of those due respect?

 

Is it OK to think of myself

with that same appreciation,

or am I exempt,

the only one NOT

worthy of it

to myself?

 

I'm reminded of the story,

of the woman aged 93

who spent her days

volunteering at the senior center.

 

"Why don't you relax?"

she was asked.

 

Her reply?

 

"Well who would help

the old people?!"

So I too will continue

to advocate

for "them."

While You & I

stay forever young

through fields of 'blog'

we run together

hand in hand.

Laughing.

 

'Take Peace & Laughs - Leave Your Comment'

Thanks for visiting!
                      Warmly, cloudia

 

"Age is an issue of
mind over matter.
 If you don't mind,
 it doesn't matter."

 Mark Twain