You shall not muck about with elderly people. They
have lived a long life, they know the art of survival.
I was asked whether I would rather live a long life than die young and active. I don’t really see the
clash of interests. My own grandmother was very young at heart her entire life.
She married again when she retired at 67, after having been a widow for 11 years; living life,
travelling and leading an active, single lifestyle.
Now, it’s not like as if all elderly people are full
of buoyancy, energy and
courage to live, but they got experience and a quality in them which enable them to adjust society and everyday life. They have learned how to choose their battles.
courage to live, but they got experience and a quality in them which enable them to adjust society and everyday life. They have learned how to choose their battles.
We all have a standard to everything we
do. Some live the principle “good enough”, others may think it’s “fair enough,
it will turn out just fine, I am sure”, while some just doesn’t find calm and
peace at heart until they find everything’s perfect. As tempo, strength and the
body in general crumbles, the standard will adjust. Maybe cleaning the windows
four times a year isn’t as important anymore, maybe dinner sometimes is a
sandwich (which would be unthinkable before), but they try, they really try for
as long as they think they can cope.
Now my oldest son has turned 19, and I
have to admit I have started to think the years go by and I am kind of getting
on a bit. Now and again my thoughts are turned to the future and what it will be
like. So I went online and took a test on what I will be like as an old woman.
The internet is packed with tests: What flower are you? What animal are you?
What cartoon character are you?... So I searched and found a test on what kind
of an old woman I will be. I only found tests on grandmothers, but there is a
chance I will become one, so I found a test which introduced itself like this:
«There
are many types of Grandma's. Grandma's are the backbone of the family. Who
doesn't love a Granny? You can be called Grandmother, Grandma, Maw Maw,
etc...What will it be?
ARE YOU an awesome
Grandma?? What does Grandpa and the youngsters say about you? Do you LOVE
crochet and all things needlework? Do you think being a grandma is the GREATEST
Take this quiz and see what kind of Granny you may be."
So I took the test and answered to several unlikely questions, just
ticked off the alternatives, and the result turned out to be:
What Kind of Grandma Are You?
Your Result: You are an "80's
Granny"
76%
No big band music for you. It's all ROCK AND
ROLL..80's music, hair gel, members only jackets and Big Hair Do's. You still
wear shoulder pads EVERYDAY...Rock On Granny
The alternatives I missed out on were:
42%: You are a "Hip Granny"
28%: You are a "Sweet Granny"
28%: You are a "Young Granny"
28%: You are a "Dancin Granny"
16%: You are an "Old Fashioned Granny"
12%: You are a "Healthy Granny"
0%: You are a "Forgetful Granny"
Well, I am a true product
of the 80s; I was a teenager during the entire fantastic decade, so the result
can’t be said to be directly wrong, and yet there was this tiny dubious voice
at the back of my head… so I found another one, just to confirm my result. Of
course I trust these tests. After all I have turned out to be both carnation
and Mini Morris. I just needed my future as a sporty, old woman confirmed. This
test showed:
“Ever wondered what your elder
years would look like? Let's find out if you're the one who never ages, or
perhaps the crazy cat lady...”
“Watch out! Mobile grandma is
heading your way!! You won't let silly things like a bad hip at 85 stop you
from hanging out at the mall with your grandchildren and your electric cart. Drive,
sugar, drive like the wind!»
More than anything I would like to be one of these elderly
women who in a loud voice speak their opinion, who demand attention and
service, who elbow their way and give everybody a lesson on gentleman behavior by
a quick glance… and blue hair! I never had that before, not even during my wild
teens when I performed quite a few frisky experiments with various sundry
variations of red. The setting lotion they use when they roll up their hair on hair rollers (which by the way are very efficient and good, but which no person under the age of 45 for some reason would never be caught dead wearing) leaves a wonderful pastel blue teenager can only envy them. Why one has to be old before it is acceptable to use setting lotion is in all honesty a mystery to me.
No, I think I would rather live a long life and be an active, old woman… with blue hair.
