My mom and I have a special spot for her in our hearts. I have heard my mom tell her that she wants to be just like her. We love it when we see her name on our list to visit. This 95-year-old woman has stated many times in a reflective tone that she has had a wonderful life. She wouldn't change a thing. She has not even had one piece of her body replaced. She is very proud of that at 95 years old and absolutely should be. We dogs take that for granted without any thought. I wonder why more humans are not like this 95-year-old woman or like us dogs who live life to the fullest without regret. We would not change a thing as we enter that final season of life.
When we visit her, she talks about her parents with love and respect. She states that her mother never over-reacted to anything that happened and raised the children with the aphorism of "You're just as good but not better." Her father believed in sending his girls to post-secondary school during a time in the early 1940s when popular belief stated that women were to get married and have children. She was a woman ahead of her time. She became educated, graduated at the top of her class, lived independently and became a highly respected and very successful nurse. It was after WWII ended that she met the man that she would marry and from there raise a family while juggling the career she loved. They lived a successful life. Both excelled in their careers. Her career perhaps a bit more successful than his. They invested wisely and had a street named after them in an area that they developed. It wasn't always easy, but they supported each other.
She loves her daughters and her grandchildren. She loved her nursing career. The medical profession is in the family genetics as there are nurses and doctors scattered within her family tree. She has fond memories of her beloved husband who passed away years ago. She loves where she lives now and loves life as it is. She dresses up and attends mass every Saturday evening. She is always very happy and never ever dwells on the negatives. Could this be her secret? "You're just as good but not better."
