Old Bones
Rian used to believe that I would not live past 26 years. Rian still believes I will not live much past 40.
Sitting in Edna's Diner on Sunday afternoon, watching a single fly buzz about and trying to stomach the World's Largest Chili Dog, Rian decided that I do not, in fact, wish to grow old. Edna's Diner was frequented by locals, many of them elderly dressed in their Church best. Whenever the fly alighted and became still, Rian watched the elderly instead.
They were bent and shaking. Quiet and self curled. Even those with spouses or companions seemed isolated. No touching, no talking.
Does the body hurt? Does the body fail? Without physical activity to depend on for distraction, are the elderly trapped with only the thoughts that go round and round and round behind the eyes? Rian does not want to be trapped within the mind.
When the body begins to fail, Rian decided, so will I.
This sounds selfish, I know. But Rian is nothing if not selfish.
Sitting in Edna's Diner on Sunday afternoon, watching a single fly buzz about and trying to stomach the World's Largest Chili Dog, Rian decided that I do not, in fact, wish to grow old. Edna's Diner was frequented by locals, many of them elderly dressed in their Church best. Whenever the fly alighted and became still, Rian watched the elderly instead.
They were bent and shaking. Quiet and self curled. Even those with spouses or companions seemed isolated. No touching, no talking.
Does the body hurt? Does the body fail? Without physical activity to depend on for distraction, are the elderly trapped with only the thoughts that go round and round and round behind the eyes? Rian does not want to be trapped within the mind.
When the body begins to fail, Rian decided, so will I.
This sounds selfish, I know. But Rian is nothing if not selfish.
posted by La Tulipe | 9:07 AM
6 Comments:
My father will be 80 this year. He is an active man, and happy, busily told me last night about a hike to the top of a falls he and my mother went to this past sunday, and the wonderful food and wine that they had for dinner. Then he waxed enthusiastic about having taken out his tellescope for the first time since he had cataract surgury over a year ago, and how it was the first time he had ever seen the ripples and banding on the planet. He also saw 4 of it's moons.
A relative, a widower, got remarried at 90, lived another 9 years happily, growing raspberries and a large vegetable garden.
I know people younger than me who are infirm.
Much depends on what you do with yourself.
I tried to tell Rian the same thing. (She scoffed).
And having met H's dad... wow... you'd never, ever guess his age.
Bah, can't edit spelling in comments after the fact.
Rian is going to scoff again.
Not all older folk are miserable, you know. (Don't scoff! *grin*) My grandmother is healthy and happy at 80. She even goes to the gym!
I remember an older couple I saw on the train once, laughing over spilling a bag of twisties, clearly enjoying themselves. Seriously, they looked as if they were 20 years old and caught doing something illegal.
As long as you can feel the sunshine on your face and smile with someone, you have to keep going. That's what I think, anyway.
Very well. Rian allows that some aging people are happy.
But one should have the right to just Stop if one wishes.
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