His name was ... actually,

I'm not at liberty to tell you his name. I will tell you, however, that

he died last week. In the hospital medical intensive care unit that had

become his home. He had been moved back and forth between the medical

and surgical units since December of last year.

He had been breathing on his

own for several days so the doctor took out his breathing tube. His trachea

collapsed and he died within five minutes.

The nurses phoned my friend

who had visited him on Sunday before he died on Tuesday. I'm told two

other gentleman had visited him occasionally over the past six months.

My friend called his sister.

Actually she was not his sister, but he called her that. His mom had died

when he was born so his dad gave him to a brother to raise. A brother

who already had a boy and girl. These first cousins became his "sister

and brother."

The surviving sister/cousin

was unable to arrange for services. My friend took care of everything.

They buried him near Meigs, Ga., where he was raised. He never lived more

than fifty miles from where he was born.He would have been 65 on June

15. My friend, who is 55, says 65 is very young.

I wonder what age it is when

we stop aging. I suppose it varies. I know folks that seem to be eternally

16, even 13. Most appear to be forever somewhere between 35 and 45. After

that, it's only the skin that ages, as the hair grays, and the body loses

time with the earlier rhythms of life.

The heart does not skip a beat,

however. Not the real heart. The one that keeps beating beyond the grave.

Oh, no, as the body fails, the heart develops a beat all it's own, a beat

and a rhythm that defies age.

I know this well.

I have a friend named Trudy

who will never be old. No matter what the calendar says, she will never,

ever be old. I love the varied rhythms of her life. She is a woman of

action, a communicator, a lover of life and a friend.

Certainly my Aunt Maybelle

is the most youthful 80-something my family has ever known and my heroine

in a thousand ways!

I am reminded just now how

prior to last Christmas I had the opportunity to speak to the December

meeting of The National Association of Federally Retired Persons. Their

festive holiday luncheon at which I spoke was held at Azalea Estates,

an exceptionally lovely assisted living home in Fayette County.

The club members were not residents.

They are still fiercely independent and though their bodies were many

years past the retirement age of 65, their hearts and souls were actively

involved with each other, their organization, their community and even

beyond. It was a joy to be in their midst.

NARFE is the only association

dedicated to protecting the earned retirement benefits of federal employees,

retirees and their survivors. Founded by 14 federal workers in 1921, NARFE

has become an effective and highly respected legislative voice for federal

workers and retirees. Membership has grown to more than 400,000 retirees

united to preserve the economic security and well-being of federal employees

on the job and in retirement. Check it out at www.narfe.org

You know folks, we have choices

to make everyday. And age and all the limitations it insists on bringing

with it are no excuse for not living life to the fullest. Regardless of

your limitations, be the best you that you can be. Include others in your

life. Make new friends. Talk to strangers. Get out of yourself, out of

your own home, out of the safety nest you have defined for yourself. Get

out and live!

Life is far too short to do

anything less.

There are churches, neighborhood

clubs and organizations, hospitals and other health care facilities where

you can volunteer. There are folks next door that you hardly know. There

are strangers in the supermarket checkout lines who would love to talk

to you. Try it. Reach out. Reach beyond you.

Grow bigger, braver, bolder

with each passing day. Forget numbers and never act your age. Just be

the best you that you can be, no matter what your circumstances.

Back

to News Home Page |