As far as casting actors for the characters in the book, I'm torn between not really caring very much for this exercise to being totally awash in possibilities. It also makes me feel a little geezer-ish, because the actors I come up with, Kevin Spacey, Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfieffer, etc. are all OLD, and I'm sure the younger members of the family will come up with names I've never even heard of. On that note, looking in the mirror these days, I am coming to grips with seeing myself noticeably physically aging, which feels like a cruel joke played by Mother Nature, but enjoying the feeling of having accumulated a decent amount of experiences in my life to make me feel comfortable with myself and reasonably wise enough to at least give our kids sound advice when it is solicited from us. It also inspires me to take joy in the mundane, how my vegetable garden produces such abundant and varied produce from such tiny seeds and my caregiving, the tiny bird duo who have taken up residence in the little bird house nestled among my dahlias, photos that Kara sends us, etc. I could go on and on and on with "the little things" that make me smile. Anyway, my point is that I don't think I would have listed most of these little things as joyful in my youth. There, I've said it. I am no longer young. I can still be youthful though. That is what I find somewhat frightening: the thought of being 90 and looking in the mirror and wondering how the hell did 90 years disappear so fast. So, I guess when I look in the mirror, I'm coming to grips with the fact that I am no longer young and at the same time I am wrestling with the best way to gracefully make the most of being a geezer.
Friday, May 21, 2010
AuntJenny'sTwoCentsWorth
I appreciate Craig's efforts to keep the book club alive, and I think interviewing the grandmas adds a valuable perspective, earned by simply having so many more years than the rest of us to accumulate experiences and garner wisdom. I hope Craig continues to extract information from Dottie and mom, and I hope they will share more of their stories with us, not just the amusing or mundane, but some of those closely held experiences that we all have and hesitate to openly share. Unfortunately, and fortunately, with age I think comes the lesson that it's better to just keep your mouth shut, so it might be difficult to draw this kind of information from them. But, I think it's worth the try, Craig!
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I'm already commenting on my post, but rereading Craig's question, I realize I didn't fully answer it. When I look in the mirror, I still see myself. I don't want growing old to blur who I am. I hope age enhances who I am. And, I am determined to move forward and not get mired in the superficiality of growing old. I think Rick and I are both grappling with how to do that. We are fortunate to be healthy and active still. Boy, does that sound geezer-ish, or what?! Just can't get around it.
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