Celebrating the elderly

By Sensible Life Editorial Staff
Published September 9th, 2009

This issue, Sensible Life is celebrating the elderly.  Too often, society views the elderly as being at the end of their life and thus having no purpose but to bide their time until the inevitable day where they cease to exist on this earth. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Just as your average person is a product of their environment, and their life experiences, the elderly are as productive as we encourage them to be.
It’s important to never devalue the contributions of the elderly to society. Many times, they have lived out their life until retirement and choose that time to reinvent themselves.  Colonel Sanders is a prime example. Throughout his life, he tried his hand at success in the business world, and finally at age 65, he started a chicken franchise that would one day be known globally. Not bad for a retirement age gentleman.
Another example of the elderly still doing exciting things is Nona Draper whose 102nd birthday request was to ride in a plane: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/feb/18/womans-wish-cleared-for-takeoff-journey-through/
Earlier in the year, I spoke with a writer friend of mine who told of one of his first interviews –a 102 year old columnist. She had been the wife of a judge, and when she was widowed in her late 50s, she went back to school to become a teacher, working well into her 80s. But did she let the dust settle under her feet? Absolutely not. She went back to school again, and became a writer and authoring a column until she passed away at the age of 108.
The next time you see an elderly person, Sensible Life asks that you consider the vast contributions they may have brought to society and possibly even the world over. I have a 92 year old mother in law who is a truly amazing woman with all her mental faculties intact. She is alert, and even though she is on a walker, she is an active, contributing member of her church, her community and her family. She is cherished by many for her wisdom and kind, gentle demeanor. My life has been  enhanced by just knowing her and looking to her as an example of a great, accomplished lady.

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