Growing Old Gracefully

I love word games. Any kind. Scrabble, password whatever. I do crossword puzzles and especially crypto quiz. I think I would have been good during the "Big" war doing what I saw in so many movies. Seemed there was always a person who sent a message in Code or worked to break a code. One of my favorites crosswords is the New york Times Puzzle. The Big Daddy of crossword puzzles. Done by a man named Will Shortz. He is actually a Puzzlemaster. I wasn't aware for years that there was such an occupation. Still have never known one in live person. But for the average person the NY Times puzzle is too hard most of the time. I don't even look at it on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hardly can fill in one line. Monday is wonderful, and it gets a bit more difficult as the week wears on,

Mate and I were discussing this very thing. And you thought we only discussed frivolous things. Mate and I have deep conversations. Lets see, this week we have discussed the umpire's call of safe in some ball game, Kobe Bryant and the L.A. Lakers, the playoff game at the Staple Center and a new brand of fiber on the market. Thank goodness after 57 years we have learned that only one of us needs to listen at a time. We did converse at length about the fact that Taco Casa does have a pretty good glass of tea, and a big one at that, for only ninety two cents. I found that out from a friend at church who commented on my blog about iced tea. Now I know that good does come from this. I have been there now more times than I care to admit. But I have digressed.

Back to my point about the NY times Crossword getting harder as time goes by and growing old gracefully. A few weeks ago I would have told you that growing old gracefully was maybe a paradox or an oxymoron. It could not be done, Growing old does get a bit harder as the week (or read that life) goes on.

Several weeks ago I decided to begin another blog about the nonagenarians in our Church family. I feel that I need to put something down about them, things that will be gone one of these days. So I developed me a set of questions and got me a steno pad, called my first subject, went over after work prepared to stay for two hours. I now have been over for 5 afternoons, two hours each and we have reached 1965. I don't know which one of us has enjoyed it more. I have yet to ask the first question. Oh I tried. Her stock answer is "In a minute, first you need to know..". This has been a most fascinating experience. I have learned about so much of life that is thrilling me to hear and she is enjoying telling this story. We are both benefitting from this brief encounter even if I never get a word put down. But I will.

In the Bible we are told that older women should teach the younger ones. (that of course in the New Testament where all the things I need are) and I had to stop and think that she is 20 years older than I am. Maybe that is one of the reasons I am feeling benefits flowing from our encounter, I find myself being one of those New Testament younger women when I am with her.