So here I am at 85, sufficiently functional and mentally competent, surprised at having lived this long. Assessing my condition, I find that I have lost:
A degree of mobility and independence
Dear friends who preceded me in death
Appetite (and weight)
Agility (not that I ever had that in abundance, but I could square dance pretty well)
Energy
Some short-term memory
And I find that I still have:
Sufficient energy to get through the days
The ability to think, reason and write, and enough short-term memory
Dear friends who are very good to me, and beloved family
The resources and assistance to remain in my house with only my cat, Shadow, for company
My car, and the ability to drive it safely
As active and involved a life as I can handle
I have books to read, sunsets over the foothills to relish, blue sky most days, adequate food, excellent medical care, my computer to work on (a big improvement over typewriters), a caring church community and an abundance of gratitude for my fortunate circumstances. Being 85, after all, beats the alternative, as my father used to say. How blessed I am.
Submitted by Barbara Fleming