******************************************************************************************************

 

 

The beautiful, well-versed 83 year old lady, fully dressed every morning at 8 am sharp, with her hair done in fashion and perfectly applied makeup, is moving to a retirement home. Her husband recently died, which motivated her move. After many hours of patiently waiting in the hall of the home, she smiled sweetly, when told her room was ready. After many hours of patiently waiting in the hall of the home, she smiled sweetly, when told her room was ready. As she moved her walker toward the elevator, she was given a detailed description of her small room, including the curtains hanging from her window. ′′ I love it ", she said, with the enthusiasm of a 8-year-old girl who was just handed over a new pet.  Mrs. Jones; you haven't seen the room, just wait.  That doesn't matter, she replied. Happiness is something you decide over time. Whether or not I like my room doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged, it depends on how I arrange my mind.

I’ve already decided that I like it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have the choice; I can spend the day in bed,  going through the difficulty I have with my body parts that don't work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the parts that do work.

Every day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I will focus on the new day and the happy memories I've stored just for this time in my life.

HAPPINESS is like a bank account: you withdraw from it, what you deposit.

So my advice would be to deposit a lot of happiness into your memory account.

Remember these five simple things:

1.- Free your heart from hate/discord.

2.- Free your mind from worries.

3.- Live Simply.

4.- Give more.

5.- Take less.

*************************************************************************************************************

 

 

I asked a friend who has crossed 70 & is heading towards 80 what sort of changes she is feeling in herself? She sent me the following:

 

1. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

 

2. I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.

 

3. I have stopped bargaining with vegetable & fruit vendors. A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.

 

4. I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.

 

5. I stopped telling the elderly that they've already narrated that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane & relive their past.

 

6. I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

 

7. I give compliments freely & generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me. And a small tip for the recipient of a compliment, never, NEVER   turn it down, just say "Thank You.”

 

8. I have learned not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances.

 

9. I walk away from people who don't value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

 

10. I remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat & neither am I in any race.

 

11. I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. It’s my emotions that make me human.

 

12. I have learned that it's better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof, whereas with relationships, I will never be alone.

 

13. I have learned to live each day as if it's the last. After all, it might be the last.

 

14. I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself. Happiness is a choice. You can be happy at any time, just choose to be!

 

I decided to share this for all my friends. Why do we have to wait to be 60 or 70 or 80, why can't we practice this at any stage and age?

 

 

*************************************************************************************************************

 

 

 

Music in 1965

 

*************************************************************************************************************  

Between 65 And Death

 

 Many of us are between 65 and death. An old friend sent me this excellent list for aging, and, I have to agree it is good advice to follow … particularly item 19.

01 – It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

02 – Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter, and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

03 – Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

04 – Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

05 – Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

06 – Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.

07 – Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

08 – Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

09 – Always stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised at what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

10 – Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.

11 – Never use the phrase in my time. Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

12 – Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

13 – Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

14 – Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

15 – Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

16 – Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

17 – Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

18 – If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone – apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

19 – If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

20 – Laugh A Lot. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So, what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

21 – Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

And, remember: Life is too short to drink bad wine! Or, in my case, bad Arnold

                                                                                             

Who said we have to grow up

 

Happy Birthday to whoever is having a birthday this month! 

******************************************

In Loving Memory

 

First day in Heaven  

******************************************

In Loving Memory

Randy Crispin's - Vickie Keeling Crispin's husband

1953 - 2021

 

Karen Dorsey's - Bill Dorsey's wife 

1948 - 2021

 

Randy Lee Goode

1946 - 2020

 

Roxie Hays Haley

1946 - 2020

 

  

Chris Coker (Class of 1964)

1945-2020

Darrell Boepple (Rhea Nicolet Boepple's husband)

1943-2020

>  

Janet Bryant Byble 

1947- 2020

 

  

Larry Ewing

1946-2020 

                                                       MHS class of '64 and brother Tim Atcheson class of '65

                                                      

                                                                Danny Atcheson

                                                                                     1945 – 2020                                                                                                        

 

  

Robert E. Hardage 

1947 - 2020

 

   

 Larry D Clark

 1946 –  2020  

*************************************************************************************************************

This is a poem Kay Copenhaver Woody wrote for us in 2015 and hope she writes another one for our 2020 reunion. 

 

 

*************************************************************************************************************

 

   

Click on the link below and see a clip with Robert Whitehill in it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o064d9Fja_w&feature=yout.be 

5 Awkward People You Meet At Thanksgiving Dinner | Evite Original

Evite

(Published on Oct 30, 2018) 

  

**********************************************************************************************************************

History 1965 

 

1965 the war in Vietnam continues to worsen. Americans continue major bombing of North Vietnam. More men are lost. At the same time, the Anti-War movement grows and in November 35,000 people march on Washington as a protest against the war. There is also civil unrest with rioting, looting, and arson in Los Angeles. This was also the first year mandated health warnings appeared on cigarette packets and smoking became a no-no. The latest craze in kids toys was the Super Ball and The Skate Board. Fashions also changed as women's skirts got shorter men's hair grew longer as the miniskirt makes its appearance. Sony introduces it's doomed Betamax Recorder and Hypertext is introduced for linking test on the Internet. The St Louis Arch is completed and The Beatles release 4 new albums including "Help". 

 

Cost of Living 1965 

How Much things cost in 1965
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 1.59% 
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 969 
Average Cost of new house $13,600.00 
Average Income per year $6,450.00 
Gas per Gallon 31 cents 
Average Cost of a new car $2,650.00 
Loaf of bread 21 cents 
Average Rent per month $118.00 
E-type Jaguar $1,867.00  

 

 

What Events Happened in 1965 

·       Australia Joins Vietnam War  

·       Hindi becomes the official language of India.  

·       Racing driver Jim Clark wins the Indianapolis 500, and later wins the Formula One world driving championship in the same year.  

·       The Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak: An estimated fifty-one tornadoes (forty-seven confirmed) hit in six Midwestern states killing anywhere from 256 to 271 people and injuring some 1,500 more.  

·       Lyndon B. Johnson announces increase the number of United States troops in South Vietnam from 75,000 to 125,000 

·       Lyndon B. Johnson announces his program to create Medicare and to expand his war on poverty  

·       The Maple leaf becomes Canada’s new national flag symb·   

        Rhodesia Declares Unilateral Independence From Great Britain and becomes Zimbabwe  

·       India and Pakistan Fighting continues to escalate  

·       Malcolm X shot in New York  

·       Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leads civil rights march in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery 

        Britain brings in a new Race Relations Act hoping to stop some of the unrest in inner cities 

        Cigarette advertising banned on Television in Britain  

·       The Post Office Tower opens in London  

·       In St. Louis, Missouri, the 630-foot-tall parabolic steel Gateway Arch is completed ( The St Louis Arch )  

·       Several U.S. states (VT, NH, MA, CT, RI, NY and portions of NJ) and parts of

         Canada are hit by a series of blackouts lasting up to 13 1/2 hours. 30 million people  

·       70 mph speed limit imposed on British roads

         US Citizens Evacuated due to Civil War in Dominican Republic  

          Troopers violently confront civil rights marchers in Alabama  

                 

 

·       The Mary Quant designed Mini Skirt appears in London and will be the fashion statement of the '60s 

·       One of the most popular films "Sound of Music" released                  

 

·       Mary Poppins 

·       The Sound of Music 

·       Goldfinger 

·       My Fair Lady 

·       What's New Pussycat? 

·       Cat Ballou

Books Released 

·       Dune 

·       The Man with the Golden Gun 

·       Hotel 

              

Popular Musicians

·       The Beatles 

·       The Rolling Stones 

·       Freddie and the Dreamers 

·       The Animals  

·       The Kinks 

·       The Searchers 

·       The Seekers 

·       Moody Blues 

·       Donovan 

·       Cilla Black 

·       Dusty Springfield 

·       Tom Jones 

               

 

 Technology 1965

·       Ranger 8 crashes into the Moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program 

·       Ranger 9 sends back live TV broadcast when it crashes on to the moon 

 ·      Cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov, leaving his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes, becomes the first person to walk in space 

 ·       Major Edward H. White II becomes the second human to walk in space during the flight of Gemini 4 

·       Sony introduces it's Betamax video recorder 

         Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )

 ·       Space Walk Russia Aleksei Leonov - first-person outside space vehicle

 ·       Optical Disk USA by James Russell - now Compact Disk 

·        Hypertext USA for linking text on the Internet Respirator ( replacement for the Iron Lung ) the USA 

 

****************************************************************************************************************

                                                                                

Many of us are between 65 and death, i.e. old. My friend sent me this excellent list for aging and I have to agree it's good advice to follow. 

The guy who sent this hi-lighted #19.

1. It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or foolproof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter, and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

5. Don’t stress over the little things. Like paying a little extra on price quotes. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”

7. Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

8. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised at what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

10. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.

11. Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

12. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

13. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

 14. Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read and dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes and/or golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

15. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field Get out there.

16. Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

17. Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

18. If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone - apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

19. If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

20. Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age; never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

 21. Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

REMEMBER: “Life is too short to drink bad wine and warm beer” 

  

 

I was shocked, confused, bewildered 

 

As I entered Heaven's door, 

 

Not by the beauty of it all, 

 

Nor the lights or its decor.

 

But it was the folks in Heaven 

 

Who made me sputter and gasp -- 

 

The Garden Club Gossips, the thieves

 

The liars and the trash.

 

There stood the kid from seventh grade 

 

Who swiped my lunch money twice. 

 

Next to him was my old neighbor 

 

Who never said anything nice.

 

Bob, who I always thought 

 

Was rotting away in hell, 

 

Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, 

 

Looking incredibly well.

 

I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal? 

 

I would love to hear Your take. 

 

How'd all these sinners get up here? 

 

God must've made a mistake.

 

'And why is everyone so quiet, 

 

So somber - give me a clue.' 

 

'Hush, child,' He said,

 

'They’re all in shock. 

 

No one thought they'd be seeing you.'

 

JUDGE NOT!!

 

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: 

 

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, 

 

in accordance with the faith, God has distributed to each of you.

 

**************************************************************

 

 Between 65 and death.

An old friend sent me this excellent list for aging, and, I have to agree it is good advice to follow … particularly the item 19.

01 – It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

 

02 – Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

 

03 – Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

 

04 – Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

 

05 – Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

 

06 – Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.

 

07 – Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

 

08 – Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

 

09 – Always stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

 

10 – Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.

 

11 – Never use the phrase in my time. Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

 

12 – Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

 

13 – Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

 

14 – Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

 

15 – Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

 

16 – Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

 

17 – Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

 

18 – If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone – apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

 

19 – If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

 

20 – Laugh A Lot. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So, what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

 

21 – Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

 

And, Remember: Life is too short to drink bad wine! ! ! Or, in my case, bad Arnold