Recently I received an email from a friend welcoming me to look at his holiday photographs. Since I was eager to see his growing family, I opened up the file and discovered to my horror his snapshots of a hunting trip! As I am not a hunter, these pictures disturbed me.
I bring this to your attention because I know that there are people out there who stay away from my blog because the title has frightened them away. My friend's title drew me in and made me curious, as it asked me to see his holiday pictures. On the other hand, my ramblings have not been read by people who fear that my title has some macabre connotation. Although it hasn't been said in exactly these words I think they feel that Make Dying Fun is a disrespectful and flippant title.
Many folks have offered alternate titles for my book and blog which bear the same title. "Why not call it something like Dying With Dignity?" they plead. "Tips for Seniors with Dementia" as an alternate add-on.
People have asked me to remove them from my mailing list because they don't have time to read it or because they are not "bloggers". Fair enough.
There have been many positives about my title. Some have written me their praises for taking the rigidity out of dying. Accolades abound of those who think that I have taken a stuffy subject and had some fun with it. and say"Never change your title!"
Believe me, I have bandied about the idea of changing the title but I always come back with the same notion that it wasn't "MY" title to begin with. It was sent to me in the form of a lightning bolt (figuratively not literally!) as I was driving along one day, minding my own business. From out of nowhere a voice said loudly "You have to write a book and it has to be called Making Dying Fun." As you can well imagine, I was a bit startled and before I had time to pull over and check whether I perhaps had a fever, the voice said again, more insistently a second time, "You have to write a book and it has to be called Making Dying Fun!"
I chose not to ignore the voice and this is the result, lively and upbeat stories of those in their Golden Years heading towards the Great Beyond. If you check my under-construction website it advises searchers that if they have come to this place looking to learn how to tie-dye, they have come to the wrong place!
I don't know whose voice I heard that day while driving but I do know that it was very adamant. I have been thinking back to why that voice said it had to be Fun, and why hadn't the word "Delightful" or "De-Lightful" or "Enlightening" been used, rather than "FUN"? Lately, I have had thoughts about my Grandmother and how she would take me on wonderful trips which included outings to museums, theatres, art galleries, deserts, parks,etc. and after one such adventure I thanked her and said how much fun it had been, to which she responded, "Honey Child, I hope you didn't just think it was fun, I hope you learned something." She then added "These things I do with you are meant to be enjoyable but there's also an element of learning. I hope it was fun but I also hope it was educational and that you learned something".
So, dear reader, share this blog with your friends and co-workers if you think they can benefit from it and feel free to make comments leaving your name or by choosing to remaining anonymous on my comments area. I hope you have fun here but it'd be nice if you learned something as well!
BTW, if you are at a loss as to what to buy a special senior this holiday season, my next installment will feature a list of gift ideas for those who seem to have everything or need very little in their last years on this earth. As one dear lady said to me "With all my aches and pains, getting old is no fun at all, but having you as a friend, certainly makes it better."
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Monday 21 November 2011
The Garden of Happiness
It was hard to find a card today that had the right sentiment for the family of a lady who lived to be 105! The "With Sympathy" cards just didn't seem appropriate for this time of loss. Bea just wasn't any lady, she was my dear friend and we met when she was in her late nineties. She had such a positive outlook on life and on death. She lived like each day after her 100th birthday was a blessing.
We met through a mutual friend named Laurie, a dear soul whose memory was failing. It was at Laurie's 90th birthday party that Bea encouraged me to bring Laurie over for tea whenever I could manage it. Darling Bea who had poor eyesight and poor hearing but a mind as sharp as a tack was often the co-ordinator of small luncheons and tea parties for two and memorial gatherings.
Bea didn't do all this hosting single-handedly, she had help from two wonderful daughters and grandchildren galore. It was because of family members who adored her that she was able to live in her own modest home until mobility issues restricted her from remaining there.
Her house was sold to a nice young family and Bea moved into a nursing home. It was actually a transitional place that was temporary until a more suitable permanent lodging could be secured. It was here that I visited her in a nice bright room overlooking a garden and I asked of her state of being. She replied "I vowed that I would be happy no matter where they put me". Her smile was genuine and she continued "And I am happy".
Not long after that, she had to be moved to another facility. Her room was on one of the higher floors of the building and garden access was not particularly easy. When weather permitted, she would be out breathing the fresh air, thanks to someone pushing her wheelchair onto the elevator and someone else delivering her to the main floor garden exit. Her daughters visited usually on alternate days so Bea felt anything but lonely. She had decided to be happy here also.
Bea's handwriting became shakey but it didn't stop her from sending me annual Christmas cards. I delighted in showing people the cards I received from my centenarian gal-pal. I also found it fun to ask when buying a greeting card for Bea's birthday each October if they had anything that celebrated being 101 or anything that congratulated someone who was turning 102 years old, and so on! Usually I just wrote on her card "WOW!"
Her strong voice would greet me on the other end of the phone line when I called her and it was equally as strong sounding when she phoned me. Her keen mind retained bits of information I had told her previously and she would inquire about my children and what they were involved with.
Last week I received a phone call from one of her daughters informing me that her mother had passed away peacefully and had been "with it" up until a few days prior to her leaving this world. I didn't cry with the news but smiled broadly that I had known such a remarkable woman.
Today was funeral day for Bea and I awakened with Beethoven's 9th Symphony playing in my head. The words to "Ode to Joy" sprang from my lips.
Joyful, joyful we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before Thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
drive the dark of doubt away;
giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
When I walked into the small chapel, I picked up the programme which read "Thanksgiving for the life of Bea" and to my delight I found at the back of the folded document, the words to ODE TO JOY, the only song that had been chosen for us to sing at this parting celebration!
I imagine now that she is sitting in the garden of eternal happiness. Way to go Bea, 105, WOW!
We met through a mutual friend named Laurie, a dear soul whose memory was failing. It was at Laurie's 90th birthday party that Bea encouraged me to bring Laurie over for tea whenever I could manage it. Darling Bea who had poor eyesight and poor hearing but a mind as sharp as a tack was often the co-ordinator of small luncheons and tea parties for two and memorial gatherings.
Bea didn't do all this hosting single-handedly, she had help from two wonderful daughters and grandchildren galore. It was because of family members who adored her that she was able to live in her own modest home until mobility issues restricted her from remaining there.
Her house was sold to a nice young family and Bea moved into a nursing home. It was actually a transitional place that was temporary until a more suitable permanent lodging could be secured. It was here that I visited her in a nice bright room overlooking a garden and I asked of her state of being. She replied "I vowed that I would be happy no matter where they put me". Her smile was genuine and she continued "And I am happy".
Not long after that, she had to be moved to another facility. Her room was on one of the higher floors of the building and garden access was not particularly easy. When weather permitted, she would be out breathing the fresh air, thanks to someone pushing her wheelchair onto the elevator and someone else delivering her to the main floor garden exit. Her daughters visited usually on alternate days so Bea felt anything but lonely. She had decided to be happy here also.
Bea's handwriting became shakey but it didn't stop her from sending me annual Christmas cards. I delighted in showing people the cards I received from my centenarian gal-pal. I also found it fun to ask when buying a greeting card for Bea's birthday each October if they had anything that celebrated being 101 or anything that congratulated someone who was turning 102 years old, and so on! Usually I just wrote on her card "WOW!"
Her strong voice would greet me on the other end of the phone line when I called her and it was equally as strong sounding when she phoned me. Her keen mind retained bits of information I had told her previously and she would inquire about my children and what they were involved with.
Last week I received a phone call from one of her daughters informing me that her mother had passed away peacefully and had been "with it" up until a few days prior to her leaving this world. I didn't cry with the news but smiled broadly that I had known such a remarkable woman.
Today was funeral day for Bea and I awakened with Beethoven's 9th Symphony playing in my head. The words to "Ode to Joy" sprang from my lips.
Joyful, joyful we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before Thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
drive the dark of doubt away;
giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
When I walked into the small chapel, I picked up the programme which read "Thanksgiving for the life of Bea" and to my delight I found at the back of the folded document, the words to ODE TO JOY, the only song that had been chosen for us to sing at this parting celebration!
I imagine now that she is sitting in the garden of eternal happiness. Way to go Bea, 105, WOW!
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Joy Gives Us Wings
Some folks rely on a certain caffeinated drink to give them wings and awaken them. Red Bull has a great marketing scheme that has you believing that if you drink it you will have the ability to fly, or at least be revitalized and lively.
I know another way to feel as though you are soaring and it comes from within. It's that wonderful feeling of joy and it is often brought by others and shared. It is visible and it is measured by the smile on one's face or the glint in their eyes. It can be contagious and it can be instant. Joy has the ability to make someone stop slouching and sit up taller. It can be subtle and delayed but when it hits, the heart stops aching.
For those living with memory loss, life can be confusing and muddled. Grey matter in the brain has taken the place where some happy memories were sure to have been stored. Joy can be infused on a daily basis by those people who visit and care for the elderly. You can bring it by sharing your art work and then encouraging your loved one to colour or doodle. You can bring it in the form of song. You can send it in a letter.
I have seen joy brought in the form of cookies. Chocolate Chip work really well! Ice Cream Sundaes on a Friday afternoon brought a lot of joy to the residents of a care home where I visited. The care aids went around with a trolley and offered ice cream with chocolate sauce and whipped cream to their eager residents.
School groups and daycares bring a ton of palpable joy. From the moment the children walk into an assisted living facility, an air of joy is felt. Sure, there are some seniors who don't like the noise and perhaps have never been fond of kids but a kind handshake or a little hug is virtually guaranteed to lift a spirit or two.
There are some pretty amazing care aids in those care homes. They work day in and day out on the front line. They are the first to say "Good Morning" to their residents. They take the shame out of some acts of personal hygiene and while most of us couldn't carry out the tasks that require a strong back (and stomach!) those angels maintain joyfulness.
I often wonder do they bring the joy to work with them or is the joy found at their work? It's probably not found in the mundane tasks they carry out that causes the joy to well up. A lot of it is found from seeing the residents themselves. Some employees get up before dawn in order to get to their shift at the care home. That can't be terribly joyful, can it? Yet, they often let their light shine and they bring along with it dignity in a form of service unparalleled.
Thank you to all you joy bringers! You know who you are but I will name some of you anyway. Health Care Workers like Amanda, Sandy, Yasmin, Kim, Mary, Bev, Barb,Brenda, Carol, Lynn, Linda, Carl, Chris, Paul, Marie, Denny, Terry,Kristy, Kerry, Carrie, Colleen,Tricia, Joanie, Jessie, Stephanie, Janelle, Lorraine (who I just recently met!) Addey, and on and on. Some of you are physiotherapists,social workers,cleaners, activity aids, and food preparation people who sometimes go out of your way to make someone smile.
Remember though, that economic cut-backs are resulting in the slimming down of many branches of health care. Staff can only be spread so thin. If your senior is still needing a little bit more personal human contact and you have the funds, consider hiring a Paid Companion. They are a great way to bring some joy around on a regular basis. Ask at your local care home or check seniors directories, for recommendations of reliable and joyful people to visit your loved one. Not only do we companions like pushing people around for a living (of course I mean in a wheelchair!) most of us have patience and joy in abundant supply. A big thanks to those who I have had the pleasure of associating with,and who make their money in this field. Kudos to Kristina, Cathy, Michele, Solange, Alex, Louisa, and Della, to name a few.
The uplifting of a spirit is one of the soul purposes (pardon the pun) of the Spiritual Care Department. Most facilities have resident or visiting clergy and volunteers who are trained and happy to bring a denominational or non-denominational brand of joy with them. They have good listening ears, and as well can fit the needs of the patient by supplying books, CDs, and information about worship services that they offer on a weekly or monthly basis.
And finally, to the regular volunteers and visitors who bring your pet-therapy dogs in for visits, your children, your art therapy, your choirs, your manicures, I thank you for sharing YOUR joy!
A little joy goes a long way. While a cup of coffee or a super caffeinated something or other from a can may give us the ability to soar, joy gives us wings and doesn't give us the jitters.
I know another way to feel as though you are soaring and it comes from within. It's that wonderful feeling of joy and it is often brought by others and shared. It is visible and it is measured by the smile on one's face or the glint in their eyes. It can be contagious and it can be instant. Joy has the ability to make someone stop slouching and sit up taller. It can be subtle and delayed but when it hits, the heart stops aching.
For those living with memory loss, life can be confusing and muddled. Grey matter in the brain has taken the place where some happy memories were sure to have been stored. Joy can be infused on a daily basis by those people who visit and care for the elderly. You can bring it by sharing your art work and then encouraging your loved one to colour or doodle. You can bring it in the form of song. You can send it in a letter.
I have seen joy brought in the form of cookies. Chocolate Chip work really well! Ice Cream Sundaes on a Friday afternoon brought a lot of joy to the residents of a care home where I visited. The care aids went around with a trolley and offered ice cream with chocolate sauce and whipped cream to their eager residents.
School groups and daycares bring a ton of palpable joy. From the moment the children walk into an assisted living facility, an air of joy is felt. Sure, there are some seniors who don't like the noise and perhaps have never been fond of kids but a kind handshake or a little hug is virtually guaranteed to lift a spirit or two.
There are some pretty amazing care aids in those care homes. They work day in and day out on the front line. They are the first to say "Good Morning" to their residents. They take the shame out of some acts of personal hygiene and while most of us couldn't carry out the tasks that require a strong back (and stomach!) those angels maintain joyfulness.
I often wonder do they bring the joy to work with them or is the joy found at their work? It's probably not found in the mundane tasks they carry out that causes the joy to well up. A lot of it is found from seeing the residents themselves. Some employees get up before dawn in order to get to their shift at the care home. That can't be terribly joyful, can it? Yet, they often let their light shine and they bring along with it dignity in a form of service unparalleled.
Thank you to all you joy bringers! You know who you are but I will name some of you anyway. Health Care Workers like Amanda, Sandy, Yasmin, Kim, Mary, Bev, Barb,Brenda, Carol, Lynn, Linda, Carl, Chris, Paul, Marie, Denny, Terry,Kristy, Kerry, Carrie, Colleen,Tricia, Joanie, Jessie, Stephanie, Janelle, Lorraine (who I just recently met!) Addey, and on and on. Some of you are physiotherapists,social workers,cleaners, activity aids, and food preparation people who sometimes go out of your way to make someone smile.
Remember though, that economic cut-backs are resulting in the slimming down of many branches of health care. Staff can only be spread so thin. If your senior is still needing a little bit more personal human contact and you have the funds, consider hiring a Paid Companion. They are a great way to bring some joy around on a regular basis. Ask at your local care home or check seniors directories, for recommendations of reliable and joyful people to visit your loved one. Not only do we companions like pushing people around for a living (of course I mean in a wheelchair!) most of us have patience and joy in abundant supply. A big thanks to those who I have had the pleasure of associating with,and who make their money in this field. Kudos to Kristina, Cathy, Michele, Solange, Alex, Louisa, and Della, to name a few.
The uplifting of a spirit is one of the soul purposes (pardon the pun) of the Spiritual Care Department. Most facilities have resident or visiting clergy and volunteers who are trained and happy to bring a denominational or non-denominational brand of joy with them. They have good listening ears, and as well can fit the needs of the patient by supplying books, CDs, and information about worship services that they offer on a weekly or monthly basis.
And finally, to the regular volunteers and visitors who bring your pet-therapy dogs in for visits, your children, your art therapy, your choirs, your manicures, I thank you for sharing YOUR joy!
A little joy goes a long way. While a cup of coffee or a super caffeinated something or other from a can may give us the ability to soar, joy gives us wings and doesn't give us the jitters.
Tuesday 8 November 2011
The Sentimental Journey of Music
People with dementia can be soothed by music, uplifted by music, and also agitated by music. When selecting something for your loved one to listen to, make sure you take into account the kind of music they listened to when they were younger. Putting on a Country Music CD wouldn't be that satisfying for someone who never liked that genre. Loud marching band music or Rock n Roll playing from the speakers may have been okay for short periods of their earlier life, but remember most of them are living in the long ago past. Perhaps in their mind they are a child again or a teenager or a newlywed.
Good ol' songs from post-wartime years, can bring a smile to the face and have lyrics flowing from the lips in no time. Jazzy tunes can get the toes tapping and the hands drumming. The old guys will tell you "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got swing!" Songs repeated at each visit may get annoying and stale for you but not for them. They've forgotten they listened to it yesterday and it's all new today.
Be careful not to have the radio blasting when you take them out for a car ride. Go through your local drive-thru and get a cup of something hot to drink, leave it in the cup holder until you get to a nice park or lookout and then find a station that plays something suitable, remembering to turn it down when the advertisements come on. If the person you are with is getting restless and in a surly mood, try a different station, or just try silence for a while. Sipping your beverage and going down memory lane with music is a wonderful way to spend some quality time.
If you're normally a shower singer and reticent to sing around someone else, I encourage you to get over that fear and sing some campfire songs with them or something you remember them listening to when you were a child. Even if you only know the first few words to the song, I promise you they will most likely finish the line and continue on with the chorus.
Many extended care facilities have Music Therapists who can visit residents and for a small fee will come and visit on a weekly basis. They are trained to know what era of music the residents (given their age) will have listened to. Quietly the music therapist will strum the guitar and coax their listener to sing along and soon the heart of your senior is sure to be uplifted.
The best thing I ever thought of for a restless lady with Alzheimer's Disease was to put headphones on her to block out the hustle and bustle of the place where she was living. The music I chose for her was fun stuff like "You Are My Sunshine" and "Home, Home on the Range" and she would love to propel herself in her wheelchair up and down the halls singing along. The thing that caused everyone within earshot to grin the most was her belting out "Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents. No phone, no pool, no pets. I ain't got no cigarettes....I'm a man of means by no means, Kiiiiing of the roooooad"! No doubt, that Roger Miller song was definitely her favorite!
Melodies whether they be gospel or sacred, classical, or contemporary, have the ability to cheer the soul and gladden the heart. Let music be a binding part of your time spent in the company of those you cherish.
"Tune in" tip: http://www.kixi.com/(boasts "music as cool now as it was then")
Good ol' songs from post-wartime years, can bring a smile to the face and have lyrics flowing from the lips in no time. Jazzy tunes can get the toes tapping and the hands drumming. The old guys will tell you "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got swing!" Songs repeated at each visit may get annoying and stale for you but not for them. They've forgotten they listened to it yesterday and it's all new today.
Be careful not to have the radio blasting when you take them out for a car ride. Go through your local drive-thru and get a cup of something hot to drink, leave it in the cup holder until you get to a nice park or lookout and then find a station that plays something suitable, remembering to turn it down when the advertisements come on. If the person you are with is getting restless and in a surly mood, try a different station, or just try silence for a while. Sipping your beverage and going down memory lane with music is a wonderful way to spend some quality time.
If you're normally a shower singer and reticent to sing around someone else, I encourage you to get over that fear and sing some campfire songs with them or something you remember them listening to when you were a child. Even if you only know the first few words to the song, I promise you they will most likely finish the line and continue on with the chorus.
Many extended care facilities have Music Therapists who can visit residents and for a small fee will come and visit on a weekly basis. They are trained to know what era of music the residents (given their age) will have listened to. Quietly the music therapist will strum the guitar and coax their listener to sing along and soon the heart of your senior is sure to be uplifted.
The best thing I ever thought of for a restless lady with Alzheimer's Disease was to put headphones on her to block out the hustle and bustle of the place where she was living. The music I chose for her was fun stuff like "You Are My Sunshine" and "Home, Home on the Range" and she would love to propel herself in her wheelchair up and down the halls singing along. The thing that caused everyone within earshot to grin the most was her belting out "Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents. No phone, no pool, no pets. I ain't got no cigarettes....I'm a man of means by no means, Kiiiiing of the roooooad"! No doubt, that Roger Miller song was definitely her favorite!
Melodies whether they be gospel or sacred, classical, or contemporary, have the ability to cheer the soul and gladden the heart. Let music be a binding part of your time spent in the company of those you cherish.
"Tune in" tip: http://www.kixi.com/(boasts "music as cool now as it was then")
Wednesday 2 November 2011
It's All Relative
Last week's blog theme gave you some ideas on how to stay active for as long as possible in the sense that even when your mobility is limited, there are still ways to enjoy sport on some level. This week I carry on the activity theme with the amazing example of my father-in-law. Today, as a matter of fact, he turns 80!
He looks and acts like a man in his 60's. Is he gifted with the longevity gene? We'll know when he marks his 90th and 100th birthday. Has he found the Fountain of Youth? Not that we know of.
What we do know is with this guy "attitude is everything" and nobody has told him that you are expected to slow down in your senior years. In fact, there are thousands like him who participate in sports, in clubs, in service organizations, until they no longer are physically able. Bus loads of them go each year to the Seniors Games, and flocks of them go south to Seniors Camps, (a.k.a. RV parks or Snow Bird Communities) where, thanks to temperate climate, they can play sports until the cows come home.
My father-in-law doesn't go on the long trips anymore. Not because he can't, but because he chooses not to as he is the primary caregiver of my mother in law. Her health is severely challenged. "Papa", as he is known to the grandkids, plays year round in his home town. He is on a pickle ball team (look it up if you don't know what it is), a table tennis team, and a curling team. As well, he plays tennis in the summer, and is involved in soccer practically year round.
When we threw him an 80th birthday party this past weekend there were people in attendance who play shuffleboard with him (I didn't know he played shuffleboard until they told me!) and some fellow dart players, as well as some younger people who had been trained as soccer referees by him. The Rotarians were there, he's been a member of Rotary for dozens of years,(actually 40 years!) and the Hospital Board's chairman was in attendance and thanked the Birthday Boy for his selfless hours of fundraising for the foundation.
He slows down on Sunday mornings (slightly) when he spends an hour of reflection at his church. There were members of that congregation singing his praises at the party as well.
Was this guy blessed with the gift of good health his entire life? No, he's had his share of ups and downs. A couple of heart attacks when he hit 60 made him re-think his life. He now keeps his stress to a minimum and replaced his bacon and egg breakfast with oatmeal. (It's not that I am against eggs that I mention this, but certainly the toast wiped through the bacon grease each and every morning wasn't good for his cholesterol levels!) I think he takes an aspirin a day to keep his blood thin but I don't think he's taking much in the way of medication.
Papa got a lot of cards from those gathered at his party. Well wishers wrote kind messages, jokes, and some included photos of him having tons of fun. Someone had put a lot of effort into a homemade card and had cut out a photo of him standing next to soccer great, David Beckham! I debated on whether to give him a sappy card or a humourous card which showed a geriatric referee with a whistle in his mouth, and inside read "You're Old. Game Over!" I went with the sappy instead, although I know he would have appreciated the humour of the other. Maybe next year!
The card that stuck in my mind the most, and I looked through them all, was the one with a photo of an old guy playing basketball and a quote from George Bernard Shaw. It said "We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing!"
Ralph Owens is a kid at heart and is an example of deeds meaning more than words, of generosity, of selflessness, of humility, and of stamina. If you live your life like him, pat yourself on the back and be proud. Raise your glass of prune juice one and all and as Nike says "Just Do it".
He looks and acts like a man in his 60's. Is he gifted with the longevity gene? We'll know when he marks his 90th and 100th birthday. Has he found the Fountain of Youth? Not that we know of.
What we do know is with this guy "attitude is everything" and nobody has told him that you are expected to slow down in your senior years. In fact, there are thousands like him who participate in sports, in clubs, in service organizations, until they no longer are physically able. Bus loads of them go each year to the Seniors Games, and flocks of them go south to Seniors Camps, (a.k.a. RV parks or Snow Bird Communities) where, thanks to temperate climate, they can play sports until the cows come home.
My father-in-law doesn't go on the long trips anymore. Not because he can't, but because he chooses not to as he is the primary caregiver of my mother in law. Her health is severely challenged. "Papa", as he is known to the grandkids, plays year round in his home town. He is on a pickle ball team (look it up if you don't know what it is), a table tennis team, and a curling team. As well, he plays tennis in the summer, and is involved in soccer practically year round.
When we threw him an 80th birthday party this past weekend there were people in attendance who play shuffleboard with him (I didn't know he played shuffleboard until they told me!) and some fellow dart players, as well as some younger people who had been trained as soccer referees by him. The Rotarians were there, he's been a member of Rotary for dozens of years,(actually 40 years!) and the Hospital Board's chairman was in attendance and thanked the Birthday Boy for his selfless hours of fundraising for the foundation.
He slows down on Sunday mornings (slightly) when he spends an hour of reflection at his church. There were members of that congregation singing his praises at the party as well.
Was this guy blessed with the gift of good health his entire life? No, he's had his share of ups and downs. A couple of heart attacks when he hit 60 made him re-think his life. He now keeps his stress to a minimum and replaced his bacon and egg breakfast with oatmeal. (It's not that I am against eggs that I mention this, but certainly the toast wiped through the bacon grease each and every morning wasn't good for his cholesterol levels!) I think he takes an aspirin a day to keep his blood thin but I don't think he's taking much in the way of medication.
Papa got a lot of cards from those gathered at his party. Well wishers wrote kind messages, jokes, and some included photos of him having tons of fun. Someone had put a lot of effort into a homemade card and had cut out a photo of him standing next to soccer great, David Beckham! I debated on whether to give him a sappy card or a humourous card which showed a geriatric referee with a whistle in his mouth, and inside read "You're Old. Game Over!" I went with the sappy instead, although I know he would have appreciated the humour of the other. Maybe next year!
The card that stuck in my mind the most, and I looked through them all, was the one with a photo of an old guy playing basketball and a quote from George Bernard Shaw. It said "We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing!"
Ralph Owens is a kid at heart and is an example of deeds meaning more than words, of generosity, of selflessness, of humility, and of stamina. If you live your life like him, pat yourself on the back and be proud. Raise your glass of prune juice one and all and as Nike says "Just Do it".
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