grow older better

Author: Lynn Dorman, Ph.D.

  • Plants as Living Thoughts

     Years ago, my mother gave me a cutting of a plant that a friend had given her years and years before that.  The friend was one of her childhood friends and my mom asked me to keep the plant growing as a reminder of that friend [Aunt Peggy]  who was part of my childhood. 

    The plant never did much in D.C. and New England but it was cool looking and so I kept it growing.  It was one I had in the car with me when I left Vermont and eventually moved to Oregon.   

    Two other plants that made the cross-country trip were a jade plant and a Christmas cactus from my friend Freda who had given me cuttings about 15 years earlier.  [All my other plants were given to friends as I had no spare room in my car and was not going to land anywhere for a long time.] 

    I eventually learned the plant from my mom was an epiphyllum and that it just loved Portland’s weather.  In a few years it began to bloom and outgrew many pots and got too big and heavy to bring inside in the winter.  

    epiphyllum

     

     

     

     

     The other 2 grew more slowly and so I had room in the house for them each winter.

    Fast forward to last winter and our artic blast and record setting cold 🙁   My epiphyllum was wrapped in layers and was well sheltered or so I thought.  I checked it regularly and one day it seemed "funny" so I managed to bring it in.   Seems it died from the roots up so I did not see the damage until it was too late.

    I found one small piece of solid green and put that in a rooting mix and in a small pot.  I watched it daily and as long as it remained green I repeated the rooting powder and watering. 

    new growth of my epiphyllum

    Then this past August – a full 8 months after I started this tender care – it started growing…At that point I realized more fully that it was my mother’s presence in my house. 

    I really feel good that her request of me to keep it growing had been accomplished.  So Aunt Peggy and Mom – your epiphyllum is still alive – as are my love and thoughts aobut you.

    My Freda plants are doing well – but Freda died this past July.  

    Love you too Freda and will keep the plants healthy.Jade Plant

     

    P.S. ALL houseplants are now in for the winter

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • LOL – sad but still LOL

    I’m sorry if these get repetitious but I find them funny but sad as well since people do fall for them.   It’s another take on "you can get money here" scams.  First they scam you by promising that you can get money – then they scam you by saying you’ve been scammed    and that they can help you get your money back.  

    PLEASE STAY AWAY from all of these. 

    Attention : Beneficiary,



    My name is Interpol John Brown, we are fraud investigating international police attached with United Nations international police unit Cotonou We cover West African country with our men. We discovered that you are among

    the list of foreigners that fell victims of fraudulent activities of some scam men here.



    From our investigation, we discovered that you have lost some money to fulfill your endless financial obligation with these criminals I discovered that MANY who claim to be YOUR PARTNER AND FRIEND IN BUSINESS INCLUDING YOUR PRESENT BUSINESS PARTNER used your money to buy properties here ,however, they are now on the run but they would be writing you from hiding due to mobile internet services.



    We also found out that you sent money to THEM WITH HOPE OF MAKING A BIG MONEY Please we want to know how much you send to THEM, to enable us include it in the money we are proposing to return to you immediately.

    They are the people that told you series of sweet good stories ,and you believe them not knowing they are scam artist.We need your absolute cooperation to enable us recover all your fund and send it back to you so

    that you reposition your damaged financial life.



    Note,that those who claim to be your partner are corrupt citizens and have already distributed your Funds among themselves and the names of this hoodlums are,we have already arrested Mr.Shamsudeen Usman, while

    Dr.Charles Soludo is on the run so you have to be very careful in all your dealing with anyone henceforth,infact you are been advise to forward all further corespondent’s to my private email for further investigation. 

     These are so like the old Nigerian scam letters that used to come in the mail box – but with widespread internet usage they have proliferated.  Sadly they abound since people do fall for them.  It’s a good deed to warn older family members and neighbors about these kinds of emails.

     

     

  • Do I like being old?

    From a friend back East

    I had posted this before my mess up and it was lost when I reverted to a backup- so here it is again…and yes I now back up every day – I do learn from some of my errors  

    *********

    I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly.  As I’ve aged, I’ve become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself.  I’ve become my own friend.  I don’t chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn’t need, but looks so avante garde on my patio.  I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant. 

    I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
     
    Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?  I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50’s,  60 &70’s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love … I will.
     
    I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.  They, too, will get old.
     
    I know I am sometimes forgetful.  But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.
     
    Sure, over the years my heart has been broken.  How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody’s beloved pet gets hit by a car?  But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion.  A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
     
    I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.  So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
     
    As you get older, it is easier to be positive.  You care less about what other people think.  I don’t question myself anymore.  I’ve even earned the right to be wrong.
     
    So, to answer your question, I love being old.  It has set me free.  I like the person I have become.  I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.
     
    And I shall eat dessert every single day if I feel like it.  
     
    ********
     
    And yes, Twitter friends,  I’m the one who frequently has ice cream for a meal.
     

  • Open Season for Medicare and the 1st one turned me off already!

    It’s that time of year again!  Open Season for Seniors!  Or is it Open Season ON Seniors?  

    [I was going to say "pissed me off" in the title but thought that would turn some of you off so I put that in in another way – so glad I use Thesis]

    Open season, starting on Nov. 15th, is when you can change your Medicare Advantage Plans – but the mail starts flowing now!

    Mailboxes get stuffed regularly – which is good for the Postal Service I guess.  But it is also a time of year that Medicare recipients are targeted by less-than-scrupulous persons and vendors.

    And even from the scrupulous [I think] – one gets come-ons like "meet with us and get a free calendar!"  A free calendar?  The kind one gets for free from so many businesses for doing nothing?  Wow – sign me up – not!

    I value my time and if you want me to look at your options make it easy; online or by being informative in your mailings.  And make your online information more comprehensive than the ad you mail.  I for one do not wish to meet with any sales person or give you information when your disclaimer lets me know I am "authorizing" you to contact me!  

    Maybe I am "allowing" you to contact me.  But authorize?  No way.  That means a sales person will call and call and call.  I get enough of those calls as is which is why I love Caller ID and the ringer shut off .

    And please don’t belittle my intelligence and devalue my time by offering me a damned calendar in exchange for meeting with you!!

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • I love the sky and what’s in it

    plane and clouds as I approach PDX

     

    When I was a kid I loved lying on the ground watching clouds, planes, birds and stars.  We lived sort of near Idlewild [now JFK]  so planes have been part of my life forever.

     

    Now I live near PDX and watch a very different assortment of planes – colorful jets and Air Force F-15s – but as I am also on water, I see herons, osprey, eagles, etc.

    They all share my sky. 

    No matter how old I get, I will always be a kid watching my sky – it's my way of growing older better.