I just got back from my monthly trip to Home Depot. I can’t go more often because I buy things that require me to stop and put up a picture or change an electric outlet, and sometimes I just don’t feel like taking the time to do that. I think if I was to dedicate myself to getting all my projects finished, I would be a lot older. Older is something I do not want to be.
I guess that’s just a pipe dream because no matter how hard I fight it, every day I wake up a little older. It got me thinking. How do I determine that I am getting older? Obviously I am getting older, but to what purpose? I have aches and pains in places I didn’t even know existed. How about you? Are you finding that you are suffering aches and pains more often? And hair… I mean, what is it with the hair deal?
I spent a long time in the Army in units that prided themselves on having short hair. I mean really short hair. In fact the only time I would be yelled at by my commander was because I had not cut my hair as short as he wanted. Then I got out and worked as a patrol deputy for the sheriff’s office. There were not any rules about how short your hair must be. Obviously it had to be short to look professional. This was during the time of the hippies and no self-respecting deputy would allow their hair to be so long it peeked out from underneath the cowboy hat we wore.
I knew a lady that dyed her hair. She shouldn’t have dyed it, as it just didn’t look real. I even took a chance one time and told her that she would look better if she let the glorious silver hair grow out. I don’t think my suggestion landed on sympathetic ears. She replied something like, “Not in my lifetime, Shorty.” Then a couple of mumbled words that I didn’t even try to make out because I’m sure they weren’t complimentary.
Now, a few years later I see her and she has allowed her hair to grow out. She always was pretty, but now she glows. I got so tired of allowing what little hair I had to grow out, so I cut it all off. My true love is a little less than complimentary, but that’s because she has an abundance of beautiful hair.
What about aches and pains? Does it hurt you to make up your mind? I was standing in my fish pond the other day and turned around to pick up a Greenfield Potato and had to stand there in so much pain that I couldn’t move until Lorraine came outside looking for me and had to help me into the house. I was sure I was in for another operation like I had a few years ago, but it has started getting better. I just won’t suddenly turn around anymore.
Now that I have discovered that I am old, I start thinking about what folks will say about me when I’m gone. What a great transition huh? I put that in this column because I have decided what I want folks to say about me when I can’t say the words myself. In fact I know how to make this come to pass. Just follow the actions of Paula Sarmento, better known as Pabsy! She had all the right things said about her and her life the other day over at Dana Bianchi’s house.
I was invited to a memorial service for her and was blessed to hear about all she had done for all her friends. Everyone she ever met was a friend of hers. You may not be aware, but she was the president of my fan club. Bet you didn’t even know I had a fan club. Well, I did and she was quick to tell me every chance she got.
She could see through me and understand that to continue something difficult you have to be sure that someone likes what you do enough to tell you. I listened to so many words of praise and happiness just to have known her that I decided that I would try the rest of my life to do things for others in her name.
She would just tell me to stick with it. Pabsy was the epitome of love. She loved just about everyone she ever met. She seemed to know when someone needed a kind word and was quick to respond. Her husband Bud could have been a professional writer. He didn’t write often enough for me, but when he did everyone would just sort of swoon. He was that good. They made a pretty cool pair.
Some of the things that Pabsy had done in her youth had everyone smiling. You know, those quiet smiles that let everyone know that she knew how to laugh and make others do so in her memory. Nicki mentioned the bar built in the barn and how, as a younger crew they had pushed all the cars into the field while older folks were helping themselves in the barn. At first everyone was angry, but eventually they also laughed at the sight. I have been to that barn. I have danced to some great music and choked on the hay that was kicked up by the dancers. It was a great time had by all.
Happy trails, Pabsy. You gave me the greatest gift of all. You loved me enough to give me confidence and believed in me to make it real. God Bless.
