Friday, January 16, 2009


So as I visit my old people every day so many thoughts come into my mind. Thoughts about aging, the purposes of life and the consequences that follow you, etc.. It's weird that for me at my age, the thoughts of wearing out don't bother me. I just don't think about it. But for the sweet souls I visit, that is the majority of their thoughts. Keeping your body "taped together" keeps you pretty occupied at 94.

I have learned so much about making things last from them. No matter how much money they have, they know how to save. One lady always asks me for a little TP to wipe her nose and scolds me if I give her more than 2 squares. Most of them raised families in small modest homes and most of them still live in those homes. One lady I cared for raised 8 kids in a 2 bedroom home. When I asked how she did it she said, "We just made it work, the kids didn't know the difference." I look at all the huge homes being built and I just wonder why we need to have so much STUFF these day. Its sad that some kids are embarrassed to bring their friends home cuz their house isn't like their friends.

I say take a lesson from those before us! You don't have to have an 8 bedroom house, 2 SUV's, a four wheeler, a theater room, and a mountain of debt. Live simple. Get by and save the rest the rest for a rainy day. I'm sure one of these crazy days you'll be glad you did.

Thanks old people!

3 comments:

Whittron said...

thanks for your comment on the snow globes. I liked this post a lot, I can't think of anything better than a small house full of family.

Nat said...

when we cleaned out my grandparents' house when they died we found 50 year old wrapping paper. they had never ever thrown any of it away but just rewrapped everything in the same paper every year. we made fun of it and thought it was ridiculous but really, I need to be more like that. thank you old people for making me realize how selfish and materialistic I really am

Candice and Tim Peterson said...

I couldn't have said it better myself sista! Great post!