"To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am." ~Bernard M. Baruch
This week, I've had an [unasked for and definitely unwanted!] opportunity to think about my age. I pick up 2 neighbor children every day from school, and one day this week, the six year old looked up at me as he was getting out of my car and said, "Mrs. Mason, why are you so old?" And he said it with no malice, no teasing, no naughtiness at all - -it was just a question.
I, of course, gulped, swallowed hard and resisted the urge to smack him -- and after I gathered my thoughts and stomped on my temper and hurt feelings, managed to say, "Well, I guess it's because I was born a long time ago and I'm a grandma. You can't be a grandma without being old, right?"
And he smiled his funny little smile, shrugged and said, "Yup. I guess so!" And that was that.
I needed Miss Maya with me at that point to jump in [using her outdoor voice!] and rescue me by saying, "Grandma! You're not old. You're NEW."
It's good to be new, right? Especially since inside, I do feel new! Much better than old!!
1.16.2010
OLD? Really?
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8 comments:
Gotta love kids, right? I LOVE that little Miss Maya says you're new. I'll have to remember that one! So sweet.
Maya is a treasure. Such a sweetheart. You ARE new!
I get the same feeling with the kids who say, "Why is your car dirty?" to which I want to say- get out and walk.
Oh my. Does it help to know I'm right there with you? Like you, I feel very new, but there are advantages to being "old." Our adorable grandchildren are first on that list!
good for you for not punching him in the nose.
Ah kids, they just say what comes to their minds, don't they?
Funny how our bodies age, but our minds keep us young. I still feel like a twenty-somethin and I'm sure I always will!
I think that you are perfectly young. I have enjoyed growing up and every so often I look at my age/number and think yikes, that was fast... I wouldn't give any of those years back.
I heard a woman once say that she could never lie about her age, because there isn't any one year she would give up or take back, since there were just too many good times. I really liked that thought. I haven't achieved Grandma status yet, but I hope to feel as young and be as surprised by my age as the women I look up to and admire (like you!) say they are.
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