Aging

This is an important week in my family. On Friday, my mother will turn 90 years young. It is a milestone in any one's life to live to be 90. When my father turned 90, my sister and I had a little celebration with our family, which he enjoyed so much. The family members continue to talk about it today.

Now, that Mother is turning 90, we have planned several things. Over the week-end we had our family birthday lunch. My sister, her husband and her daughter from Alabama were here, as was my daughter and her daughter and Mother's best friend. Mother seemed to enjoy it so much, just being able to see everyone.

This week, we have a lunch on Tuesday with friends and on Friday we have a drop-in party. She needs nothing in gifts, but just needs to see people. She is loved by many of people.

Mother is well in some ways, but not well in others. She has dementia, but her heart is strong. After breaking several bones in the past few years, she is slow to get around and walks with a cane, and she is scared she will fall again. She does not remember a lot of things, but is very easy to care for, most of the time. We all have our moments.

My prayer is that I can age as graceful as she has. She certainly does not look 90. Someone asked me one day if she was my sister, and I started to run for the hair color.

Aging is a frame of mind to me. I try to keep my mind young and Mother has done that until recently. She has never been the same since my father died at age 91. After 68 years of marriage, I am sure she misses him so much. He was also a great man. I know I miss him very much.

My sister and I have a lot to look forward to, if we have inherited the genes.