At almost 101 years of life, Jean’s dad Joe is the perfect example of health and happiness.  Playing golf as often as possible (driving 15 miles to get to the course), exploring new topics and life experiences with the enthusiasm of a child, until recently driving from Kansas to Minnesota by himself,  , jumping out of airplanes, and still being totally mystified by the miracles of everyday life, he finds joy and energy in all he does.   His health is so astonishing that recently it was suggested that upon his demise that maybe he should sell his body to science .  When Jean bought him a lottery ticket last week his boyish comment was that if he won the lottery he wouldn’t have to sell his body to science to enhance his estate.  Humor is the elixir of our existence–may we all drink to Joe.

What does it mean to me to be AGING BUT DANGEROUS?

AGING – one look in the mirror, and I have my answer.  I have Nora Ephron’s neck, my grandmother’s jowls in the making, and my dog’s silver whiskers are somehow making a cross-species leap.  Who is that person, I ask myself every morning?  She looks a little like me, but she looks more like my mother.  Yikes!  At 44, I am a little behind the “acceptance” curve when it comes to aging.  I am just not used to the changes that are seeming to come faster and faster in my mid-40s.  But I look forward to the day when I can look in the mirror and see “me” – not my mother or grandmother – smiling back, and see the person I have become and be happy with the view, wrinkles and all.

Downsizing seems to be a reality of our times. From the Madoff survivors to the pursuit of better circulation in our phalanges, the relocation epidemic is here. In too many cases it is also a sign of unpredicted, unwelcome change–inevitable growth will accompany such a transition—like it or not. Recently I heard about a woman who had just been forced to depart with 8 of her 10 sofas, her new digs could only accommodate two sofas–bummer. Getting too teary eyed over that predicament would be a stretch if it were not for the sad story of lost health and suffering that contributed to the debacle.