When our gardener meeting minutes came out I noticed she had dropped from several committees. I thought the worst but reminded myself that it had to be something normal. I tried to call but did not get her, so emailed. She responded right away and wrote that she was fine and that she owed my husband and me dinner. I think we paid for her dinner over a year ago on our way to a meeting...so long ago. I had forgotten, but she remembered. She then went on to say that she has dropped out of the gardening group but is volunteering one day a week at the local library. She said that she had just turned 95 and decided she needed to slow down.
For some insight, this woman is a volunteer master. There is nowhere in the county that she has not donated her precious time. She has won awards from the county for her time donated. BUT when she explained that she had just turned 95, I was a bit surprised. It seemed just a few years ago she was in her 80s when we used to work booths, etc. together. She never seemed that old to me. Wow. Time seems to have flown while I was sheltering and nervously eating chocolate.
She has been a widow for almost two decades. Her children are all doctors and live in the city while another lives somewhere in Germany! This gene pool should be duplicated!
I am always envious of those who fit in everywhere and are not intimidated by some new task or the pace of activity, and she is a shining example.
I am Timid Theresa and always move in slowly with trepidation. I am sure I will disappoint or I will not like the endeavor.
Do you have friends that are 'stars'? Are you a 'star'? (Having read Bloggers I follow for years, I find lots of shining stars.)
You are a star.
ReplyDeleteShe sounds rather extraordinary. Most of us aren't that. We just muddle along as best we can.
ReplyDeleteBut you may be seen by others as a star...we never know.
DeletePeople can be whomever they want in 'puter land. I'm a Dutchess and live in a 70,000 square foot mansion, with lots of servants :)
ReplyDeleteShe sounds like an inspiration, but I tend to be more on the slow side myself. There are volunteer activities that I have thoroughly gotten into and a couple that I exited as soon as I could (almost entirely related to HOAs).
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, most of us are just getting by, and neither have the time nor the resources to go gading about in do-gooder mode. ("Things that make ya go hhmmm hhmmmm, yeah....")
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, Tabor, glad you posted this very relevant article.
I read about special people like that. They are certainly to be admired. Given my profession involved interacting with my patients, their families, others in a manner that also included aspects of caregiving I’ve really wanted time for myself, less organization and commitment — i worked until 79. I've not really committed myself to any regular volunteer work since, selfishly I guess, limiting anything that meaningful I might do to those I encounter in my daily life.
ReplyDeleteThus you are also a star!!
DeleteShe is an impressive person over and above her incredible age. How wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI'm the clod. My wife's the star.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'm a star but whenever I get involved in a group anything, which to be honest isn't all that often, I always plan to take a back seat but usually sooner rather than later I'm making myself known.
ReplyDeleteHaving read your blog...I am not surprised.
DeleteNot right now, I am not.
ReplyDeleteIn my most humble, but rarely requested opinion anyone who enlightens people about others who deserve recognition are themselves a star. It appears to me that you are a star! It's for sure that you're friend is a remarkable woman. She should be as proud of the life she lives as others are.
ReplyDeleteI am certainly not a STAR, but I believe there are some who think am. Some of us who are introverts have managed to adapt fairly well to an extrovert world, but we still know our quiet, reluctant inner selves.
ReplyDeleteOLÁ! BOA NOITE... VIM FAZER UMA VISITINHA E TE DESEJAR UMA NOITE DE PAZ! ABRAÇOS.
ReplyDeleteYou volunteer and have for years, that's a star quality.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, i'm a janitor.
The task which we now realize is essential in this world!
DeleteAs I get older my star doesn't shine anymore. I'm like you now. I am hesitant to try new things but I never used to be. I have lost my self confidence. I hate growing old.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I keep hearing about these people in their nineties who would run rings around me! Every year I notice how much I've slowed down and take things in stride that in the old days would have driven me crazy. You are one of my stars!
ReplyDeleteI just composed a whole comment and hit "publish" but I don't think it went through. If this works I will try again.
ReplyDeleteI have a very good friend who is either 93 or 94. She is as vibrant and interesting a person as you could wish to meet, and has had a wonderfully interesting life, having lived on three continents. Her husband died just a couple of years ago, an equally versatile fellow, but he had become stone deaf. I can't wait until COVID relinquishes control over us so that she can come over for lunch.
ReplyDelete