So this is what 83 looks like..

So this is what 83 looks like.. 

When I was young.. I could not imagine a 83 year old person, never mind me being 83..

Then as a adult, I got to know a few who made it to their 80’s.. mostly family.. My father’s side..  My mother’s never made it..  the oldest was 75.

Then later in life I went to work in a nursing home. And there were quite a few in their 80, but also 90’s and even several who made it to 100..    At one time we had 4 who made it to 100.(one made it to 102). 3 women and one man.. 2 of the women where long time teachers..  Which I figured being in a classroom with 20 plus kids 5 times a week would be enough to shorten their lives.. but maybe it made them stronger. 

As I said my father’s side had quite a few in the 80’s .. all of his siblings made it to the 80’s.  in fact it was kind of in line.. 80, 81 and 82 were the men of the family.. so when my aunt was lining up for 83, she was getting nerves, but she made it to 88 and almost 89. 

I have found that entering the 80’s has brought on aches and bumps..  achy bones, achy muscles.. and a slow down of stride.   I think that one is the one that bothered me the most.   I have always been a fast walker..  I loved walking every since I was a kid..  I lived on a large island.. but I did walk a great deal of the one end of it.  To high school over 2 miles away.. it was faster than taking the bus.. which went all over the county before getting to the high school.. I could be home in 20 minutes walking. I just enjoyed walking.  Even in my 70’s I could out walk the King in the store.. some times I would walk up and down the aisle and grab things we were buying while he walked with the cart.. at the ends of the aisle.  Even had a new granddaughter tell my grandson that she didn’t want to go shopping with me anymore because I walked too fast. (She was 19 and I was 76)  Sadly that is no longer true.  I can start out on a good day.. fast, but like a quarter horse I slow down shortly after.  Now I have taken on a bad day, of walking with the cart.  Knowing I am going to go shopping at Costco (a very large warehouse store) I will take some aspirin and maybe put some pain patches on, so I can make it thru the store.  My bones seem to stand up pretty good. But the muscles in my legs complain to me loudly and often.

So this is what 83 looks like for me..  I see some who are in the 90’s going better than I.. but I am grateful that God still has me upright and above the ground..  better than the other choices.