A scientific study of the aging process

My oldest sister, Miriam, taught me many things during my life. Even though she has been gone for 30 some years, she is still teaching me. There was nearly 20 years difference in our ages, but I was her closest neighbor, and nearest relative during her last years. I was impressed by her interest in what was happening to her body. It wasn't so much vanity as it was scientific.

She had been a college professor of dance (incidently her interest in dance started at Cottey College in 1925) and in her studies one of her favorite subjects was anatomy. Her Nevada doctor remembered me as being her sister and remarked on her keen interest in the subject.

When a certain ailment occurred she would remark that this was the proper time for that to happen. She wasn't happy about it, but accepted it as a scientific fact.

I mentioned that she was a professor, but as I was a child she was "just" a teacher of physical education. She was always working on my posture, my lack of grace, and tried to teach Ellen and me to dance. I did learn the hand movement of the hula, but that was as far as it went.

Now that I am almost exactly the age she was when she died, I recall some of her interests in the process. As I said this is a purely scientific study.

I have discovered that the worst thing about getting old is that people don't remember much about what you have done in life. Oh, the other oldies do perhaps, but the young sprouts who have come along just see me as "that old woman." I have to confess I used to be that way myself until one of the ladies in the church who just rolled the silverware when there was a dinner happened to remark to me that she was once in charge of all of the church's dinners, fund raising, funerals, celebrations, anything that called for a great meal. And all I had seen was an old woman rolling silverware in paper napkins.

I avoid that by not even wrapping the silverware at all and the one thing I was known for was to be tall enough to push the electric cord of the mixer into the socket which was "conveniently" placed above the big dishwasher drainboard. But a new member joined who was taller than I so I lost that one bit of prestige.

One thing that is happening to me that never seemed to happen to Miriam. I temporarily forget a person's name when I know that person very well. I can tell you everything about her except her name, Then when I ask Lester or someone else to give me her name, they will ask, "Who?" and then instantly I can remember the name again. Maybe that is what they call sometimers disease. Sometimes I have it and sometimes I don't.

I used to think that when you got old you wouldn't have to take care about your looks so much. That's not true. I spend more time getting up and dressed in the morning and getting ready for bed than I ever did before. By the time I put ointment on what ails me, take care of my temporary partials and the permanent teeth that are left, choose the proper sleeping garments for myself, and remember to take off my watch, it is almost time to get up.

I'm grateful that I haven't fallen yet. I'm hopeful that no other doctors or dentist will retire on me before I am through with them, I'm happy to walk, talk, use the phone and sometimes push the correct keys on all the instruments we have surrounding my lounge chair. But I would still love to drive the car.