Major Decision

A married couple was celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. At the party, everybody wanted to know how they managed to stay married so long in this day and age. 
The husband responded, “When we were first married we came to an agreement. I would make all the major decisions and my wife would make all the minor decisions. 

And in 60 years of marriage, we have never needed to make a major decision.”

What Old Lady Does The Whole Day

A rare visitor to an old lady who lived alone asked how she spent her time. 

"I begin my day by reading the Bible until I can read no more. Then I pray until I can pray no more. Then I get a hymn book and sing until I can sing no more." 

Then she smiled and said, "Then I just sit still for the rest of the day and let God love me."

Hereafter

The Pastor came to visit the other day. 

He said that at my advanced age I should be thinking of the hereafter. 

I told him, "Oh, I do it all the time. "No matter where I am - in the living room, upstairs, in the kitchen, or down in the basement, I am always asking myself: "Now, what am I here after?"

Old Golf's Buddy

There was once an elderly gentleman who loved playing golf. But he was almost eighty, and his vision was not very good anymore. He always had partners with him when he went out to play so they could watch his ball and tell him where it went. 

One day his buddies did not show up. It was a beautiful day for golf, and as he waited at the clubhouse he got more and more upset that he wasn't going to get to play his round. 

Another elderly man in the clubhouse saw him and asked, “What’s wrong?” The man explained his predicament: “I was really looking forward to playing golf today. But I don’t see very well anymore, so I need someone to watch the ball after I hit.” 

The second man was even older than he was, but he said, “That’s no problem. I’ll be glad to ride around with you. I’ve got 20/20 vision. I can see like a hawk. You just hit the ball, and I’ll watch it fly right down the fairway.” 

So they went out on the first tee, and the old man hit the ball right down the center. He turned to his spotter. “Did you see it?” 

The man replied, “I saw it all the way until it stopped rolling.” “Well, where did it go?” 

The older man paused for a moment and then said, “I forgot.”

Attractive Wife

Amy and Jamie are old friends. They have both been married to their husbands for a long time.

One day Amy was upset because she thought her husband didn't find her attractive anymore.

"As I get older he doesn't bother to look at me!" Amy cried.

"I'm so sorry for you, as I get older my husband says I get more beautiful every day." replied Jamie.

"Yes," answered Amy, "but your husband's an antique dealer!"

Three Old Men

Have you heard of this funny story?

Three old men went to the doctor for a memory test. The doctor asked the first old man, "What is one plus one?"

"Two hundred seventy-four," he said.

The doctor asked the same question of the second man, "What is one plus one?"

"Tuesday," he said.

The doctor tried the third man, "What's one plus one?"

"Two," said the third man.

"That's great!" said the doctor. "How did you get that?"

"Simple," said the third man. "I subtracted 274 fromTuesday."

End of story.

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and four year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table, but the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about grandfather," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he sometimes had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four year old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Momma to eat your food from when I grow up." The four year old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days, he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

---

Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the message they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day the building blocks are being laid for the child's future.

Let us be wise builders.

Crappy Old Man

As I was searching through my writing resource files I came across the following item. It was sent to me quite some time ago as one those emails making the rounds. I don’t know why I saved it, but as I look at it now I seem to reflect on it more personally than I might have at first. I remember as my grandparents aged and as my mother reached the 100-year mark. I know of others who also found themselves in declining years with the declining abilities that come with the territory.

When I checked the story with Snopes, an Internet hoax tracker, I found it to be a well worn story with a number of different starting points, but not without a sense of authenticity. I decided that, for me, it didn’t make any difference where it came from. The story is worth repeating.

CRABBY OLD MAN
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Tampa, Florida, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.One nurse took her copy to Missouri. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation (here) has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

What do you see nurses?......... What do you see? What are you thinking.......... when you're looking at me? A crabby old man......... not very wise,Uncertain of habit......... with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food......... and makes no reply. When you say in a loud voice......... 'I do wish you'd try! 'Who seems not to notice......... the things that you do. And forever is losing......... A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not......... lets you do as you will, With bathing and feeding......... The long day to fill? Is that what you're thinking?......... Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse......... you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am......... As I sit here so still, As I do at your bidding......... as I eat at your will. I'm a small child of Ten......... with a father and mother, Brothers and sisters......... who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen......... with wings on his feet. Dreaming that soon now......... a lover he'll meet. A groom soon at Twenty......... my heart gives a leap.Remembering, the vows......... that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now......... I have young of my own. Who need me to guide......... And a secure happy home. A man of Thirty......... My young now grown fast, Bound to each other......... With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons......... have grown and are gone, But my woman's beside me......... to see I don't mourn. At Fifty, once more,......... Babies play 'round my knee, Again, we know children......... My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me......... My wife is now dead. I look at the future......... I shudder with dread. For my young are all rearing......... young of their own. And I think of the years.......... And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man......... and nature is cruel.'Tis jest to make old age......... look like a fool. The body, it crumbles......... grace and vigor, depart. There is now a stone......... where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass......... A young guy still dwells, And now and again......... my battered heart swells. I remember the joys......... I remember the pain. And I'm loving and living......... life over again.

I think of the years--all too few......... gone too fast. And accept the stark fact......... that nothing can last. So open your eyes, people......... open and see. Not a crabby old man.....Look closer....see......... ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS POEM. The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart. God Bless. 

Dan Perin

Beaverton, Oregon

United States