It's taken me a while to write because blogging seems like this futile exercise to which I send all my thoughts out into space to which no one really reads and no one probably cares. I've decided that I don't particularly need an audience. I just need an outlet for all these random thoughts...
I spend a good deal of my time at work meeting with people. These people are passionate, energetic, full of laughter, honest, and lovely to work with. Also, we have at least a 25-year age gap. Since most of the people I deal with are volunteers, it just goes (in this town anyway) that most of them are retired. Retired ladies. I have learned quite a bit from all of them.
There's Betty who is 86 years old and can take on any 30-year-old! She is someone you would want to advocate for you about anything; especially if it happens to be about health care. She is part of all sorts of committees and boards that are working towards affordable health care for all in Oregon. Here's an example of what she's like. She drove up to Portland (about 2 hours away) at 6:00 in the morning for a health care forum that lasted the whole day. She then went straight to a dinner function that we were attending at 7:00 in the evening. She drove herself both ways. Eighty six years old! She will argue with me about making 800 photocopies of a flyer for a film that one of her committees/organization is showing. She will also invite us young ones to her house for dessert and dominos and think that we're ending early when I say it's time to go at 10:00pm. She also, though, tells her husband every night how blessed she is to have him in her life and they share with each other the blessings they experienced that day. Oh, I love watching her with her husband. They still hold hands throughout Mass.
Then there's Ellen. She is quite the communicator. When we get on the phone, we end up talking about our meetings for almost an hour. She is quite apologetic always, but just wants to make sure she understands everything correctly. Part of these conversations, though, are about Vincent. She always makes it a point to ask about Vincent. She is a breast cancer survivor.
Angela will speak her mind and is quite the law-abider. She will then laughingly say, "Well, but that's me -- the cup is always half empty!". She babysits for her grandchildren on a regular basis.
Maxine was the first Social Justice Coordinator at St. Mary's (the position that I now fill). She is part of a group that goes on bike rides every Saturday -- at least 30 miles. She and her husband also take long-distance bike trips with friends annually. She has tried to talk me into joining her bike-riding group, but I do not quite have the freedom to be gone that long every Saturday. She is so passionate -- to the point of being very emotional as well.
One common sentiment from my retired lady friends is this: When you are retired, people are more forgiving of your honesty. Actually, the way it's been put is this, "When you're as old as I am, you can say anything you want and people forgive you!" They will say this with a laugh that makes it sound like they're getting away with something and just absolutely love it. They all have different organizations that they volunteer for and this keeps them very busy! They all also work out at the gym everyday. To which they've also made sure to talk me into giving in and signing up with the gym. They always check on my well-being and make sure that I'm not working above my 30-hour work week.
These ladies have taught me that age does not matter when you love what you are doing. In fact, this is the perfect time to be able to do the things you love. They work harder than a lot of younger people I know and have more energy than this late-thirties person. Then they retreat off to the coast on the weekends and travel extensively. They've also taught me quite a bit about being compassionate and passionate. I love seeing the fire in their eyes when thye're talking about issues that they feel strongly about. Then there are the times when tears are close by because of the hardship of others. It's quite a treat to get to work with them. It's quite amusing especially because I actually graduated from high school with the children of a couple of them. One thing is for sure -- two hour meetings are still not quite long enough with these ladies. I want to be like them when I grow up!
I actually have one last random thought. In the Bible it is said that each person should be given a plot of land that cannot be bought or sold. Think about how this world would be so different if this were the case. We had talked about this in a workshop that I had attended, but it didn't really fully hit me until one early morning. First of all, I wouldn't have a job. We would all more or less be equal and should have what we need to survive. It would also be interesting to see who survives and who doesn't. How would each one of us make use of this land that has been given? Would there be enough land to go around? Just a thought...
That's it for now! The coming month will find me busy preparing for my upcoming trip to Peru. I can't wait to see Todd!!! Before that, though, I have to plan my activities for the upcoming year (August to June), get all the things I need, get Vincent prepared for my being away, pray that my mom comes home soon, and get fit enough to make it though the 4-day hike to Machu Picchu! I can't wait to see Todd!!! Have I mentioned that? Until next time...
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