My silver-haired companion in the back seat discusses art with me. She describes her leaf press and the hundreds of small flowers in her collection, the kind of paper she uses, the fact that violas don't lose their color but asters do. She scolds the driver for making a self-deprecating remark concerning his age and memory. "Don't think that way, or it'll happen!" she tells him.
As we wind our way through the coast range, she gazes out the car window at the huge fir trees dripping with rain water. She turns to me and says, "This month three people I knew all passed away. This morning I got a phone call letting me know that my boss from the mortgage firm I used to work for in California had died. He was 99."
"That's really tough. I can't believe you're 80," I say.
She laughs at me: "I'm 93." She takes my hand. "At my age I must cultivate younger friends." And then she asks me if I ever noticed that almost all leaves have a tiny bit of red at their edges.
I don't make friends lightly or easily, but I think maybe I have a new one.
Lovely story. Congratulations on your new friend.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll join us for book club again this month, Kerry! Here's the link: http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-cephalopod-coffeehouse-june-blog.html
Thanks AS!
DeleteI'm reading kind of trashy books right now & I'm not sure they count:) But maybe I'll write a review anyway: the best of the trash.
Just when you start to know all the very important things..such as what color leaves are at the edges...your friends start to pass away. That's why it's good to have all sorts of friends. It's always best to see the best in every single thing and every single person.
ReplyDeleteKara, That's it, isn't it? Truer words were never spoken. Thank you.
Deleteso very sweet. love this!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could remember more of the things she said. What a treasure.
DeleteHer vibrancy shines through your words. We're going to lunch on Sunday with a similar precious friend.
ReplyDeleteER, thank you. Aren't we fortunate to know people like this?
DeleteShe sounds like a very wise woman with a sunny disposition.
ReplyDeleteHer attitude is one of great cheer, thankfulness and curiosity about the world around her. So special.
DeleteThis past week the oldest man in the world died. At the age of 115 last year he was asked about the reason for his longevity: "I don't know exactly, maybe it's all thanks to the sun above me. I am always looking up towards the sky, that is how I am."
Fine post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Laoch.
DeleteYou struck gold with this new silver friend:)
ReplyDeletePlatinum too:)
DeleteLove that you have a new silver-haired friend! I knew a wonderful woman who was born in 1908! She died two years ago at age 103. She was 38 years my senior but we were the best of friends. I am also friends with a delightful 21 year old college student and am still friends with several former students who knew me as their teacher. There seem to be few boundaries when people of like minds meet.
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DeleteWow: 103. Remarkable.
It's pretty neat when age stops mattering in a relationship.
your new friend has the right attitude
ReplyDeleteLife is chemistry, not age. One my closest friends is 81. When someone much younger than she was talking about arthritis, she said: I don't have that. What is that like?
ReplyDeleteShe sounds like a gem.. and a keeper.
ReplyDeleteValue her, she’ll be worth every bit of effort you lavish on her.
ReplyDeleteWonderful!
ReplyDeleteDaryl: She has a great attitude for sure.
ReplyDeleteFrankandMary: To be 81 and without arthritis? Great genes. Longevity is 50% attitude and 50% heredity. But you're right about friendship; that's all chemistry.
Hilary: What a gem she is:)
Friko: SHE has already lavished ME with attention. Need to reciprocate.
Snowbrush: Thank you. Once in awhile by chance we bump into someone astonishing.
Interesting people who appreciate life as she does at any age are worth hanging onto. What a gem!
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
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