Words to LIve by.....  (told by Judi to Linda Law)

Each December we have a Christmas Social meeting at a local restaurant so that we can have an opportunity to get to know members of our investment club better.  This past December, I sat next to Myrtle, a founding club member.  She is a spry, petite woman with grey coiffed hair, always neatly dressed with suits and matching shoes and purse.  I guessed her to be in her early 70's.  Her powder blue eyes are well read, her brain is alert and her memory is expansive. 

I learned that Myrtle swims for 45 minutes to an hour twice a week at the local Y, she walks her dog daily, and she plays bells in her local church choir band.  Myrtle is a copious reader, especially of history.  She just completed reading Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.  She and her brother were both widowed within a week of each other and they travel together at every opportunity.  This year they explored Iceland.  Next year they will go to Antarctica.

At this meeting however, she was wondering where she could find some knee-high rubber boots for her trip so that her feet will stay dry when she gets out of the small boat.... to walk on the ice.  "What am I going to do when I get too old for such adventures?" she mused.

"Myrtle", I finally asked,  "How old are you?"  She laughed, slightly embarrassed by my bluntness, and asked me why I wanted to know.  "I like to know the age of people I admire because they become my role models of how I'd like to be when I reach their age."

"I'm 82"  she proudly replied.    My astonished look and sudden muteness made her laugh. 

"I don't consider myself to be an Age"  she continued.  "Keep your mind and body active and age becomes meaningless ...while you become ageless."