104 and counting.... I had the rare privilege to meet a woman who was 104 years old. Her family was videotaping her visit because, well, at 104 years old she probably won't be here much longer. Of course, they probably said that when she hit 80. Imagine...she's been making liars of them for nearly a quarter of a century. When I came into the room where she was sitting she started to get up to meet me. I reached to help her up, as anyone would, and her granddaughter and grandson in law shouted in unison, "NO, DON'T HELP HER!" She very quietly (but with a strong voice) said that she would rather do it herself, which she did. She didn't tremble, there was no sign of weakness, she was sharp (bored, but sharp) and she certainly didn't look the way you might imagine a 104 year old person would look. In fact, the only type of aid she used was a hearing aid. When I left that house, I felt ashamed for every time I complained about getting old. Considering the alternative, age isn't a bad thing. |