When I turned 50 and then 60, I felt little different than every other birthday. I turned 70 this July, and I do sense change in my body, and I can no longer push myself the way I did for years. Now I realize my time to make positive change is short. I have a framed needlepoint that my daughter Tina made me many Christmas ago. The needlepoint verse is one of my favorite poems. It reads,
I try to live a Christian life and to think of others. Time will only tell if I am discarded or cherished. I know the choices I make today will define my future.
“If I should live to a ripe old age,
may I possess some bit of individuality,
charm, and wit, that I may not be discarded
when I am withered, worn and weak,
but sought after and cherished, like a fine antique.”
2015 offers a needed transition back to my writing. It is a welcome change and will allow me to paint again too. One of the students I teach at Zachary High School, asked me, “Are you old enough to retire Mrs. Harmon?” I responded, "Yes, on a calendar, I am eligible to retire, but hope I never stop working or learning. Learning, especially, is the seasoning in my life. That is why I do substitute teaching."
