Dancing to the Oldies

Well, it's back to normal. Once again I am the ring leader of a really small three ringed circus. Paige; the tightrope walker as she constantly teeters between stability and out-of-control, Josh; the lion tamer who is not afraid to put his head into the beasts mouth, or put up with Paige's ferocity, and Phoebe; the clown who oscillates between side-gripping hilarity and feats of wonderful accidental acrobatics.

We spent a wonderful weekend at Jerry's parents farm, riding the four wheeler and horses, collecting chicken eggs, chasing the guineas, playing on the swing set, fishing for crappy, bass, and brim, and generally having an old-fashioned out of town good time experience.

Now we're back in the Suburb's, house/dog sitting for my parents as they enjoy a week long Trans-Atlantic cruise.

My mom called a few days ago and spoke with my sister at what, $10 per minute? She quickly said they were fine, enjoying the cruise though there were no passengers under the age of 60.

She said this last part as a complaint. Like, "Oh, MAN! Look at how OLD everybody is! It's like the Lawrence Welk show around here!"

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but Mom, you are 58. Dad is 68. You ARE The Lawrence Welk Show!

In my sociology class back at UNC a billion years ago, I remember learning about the nursing home syndrome, where the residents refuse to interact with each other in a backwards attempt to deny their advanced years. "No, I'm not one of those old people. I'm not going to play bridge with that bunch of old bitties. Heck, I don't even belong in here! They're all old, I am NOT."

Nobody wants to get old.

My wonderful Grandmother confessed to me that even though she is now 88, she has never in her mind felt older than 25. 25? 25. Yes, I feel 25.

25. 25!! What a great age!!!

So what do you do if you are as old as those crones you complain about? How about don't act it? How about acting 25, or as 25 as your old body can handle?

What I wouldn't give to hear a story of my parents getting out on the dance floor, bumpin' and grindin' to Lawrence Welk as all of their "old" compatriots stare and snicker.

Smack that booty!

Ride the pony!

Pop and lock, Mom!

Oh no he di-ent!

You know, Jerry and I have cruised a few times and though we were on a "younger" cruise line, we noticed an abundance of cruisers from the Greatest Generation on board. If there's one thing that generation likes to do is to look down their noses, or rather up their noses, at the young whipper snappers making fools of themselves. They love to herumph and scoff and shake their heads at the antecdotes of the young.

What would happen if those they were scoffing were old, too? What if the stories they told to their old friends at home where about another old couple doing obviously young things?

"Oh my Law, Bessie, you should have SEEN what that couple was doing! There Gus and I were, enjoying a nice waltz when suddenly this old couple came spinning past us, giggling and laughing, going way too fast, and MY GOODNESS! He had is hand right there in her rump in the middle of the dance floor! I haven't seen such despicable behavour since my children were teenagers! What were they thinking?"

"Well, Vivie, you know, it could have been that Vi-Agra. I hear it makes men do all sorts of things they don't normally do."

"You don't say? Where can I get me some of that?"

So next time you find yourself surrounded by the old and judgemental, do them and yourselves a favor: Give them something to talk about! Get out there, live life, don't be embarrassed, be silly, be a bit impulsive and giddy, be ALIVE and 25!!!

And never, NEVER be afraid to smack that butt on the dance floor!

Amen.