Change...Or No Change?

                                                        Change...Or No Change?                                        

Living with seniors is sooo interesting. One question that intrigues me is; do we change as we age? 

Do our personalities evolve, mature... even  a little? For example, 'If you were spoiled as a child,

demanding  her way with everyone and everything, will you be that way when you are older?"

"Other characteristics, such as short temperedness or the opposite...sweetness and patience?"

THIS from MARTHA, (said with her usual annoyance,) "Why in the world is my hair growing so

quickly? I can't keep up with my beauty salon appointments! I used to have my hair cuts monthly but now I need it so much more often. WHY?" Her insinuated threat was, I'll just take a scissor and chop it all off myself!'
The answer came easily from our PAULA, our opposite personality, " In the summer heat and humidity," she explained, in her calm and reassuring way," the grass and leaves and trees... even daffodils, and lilacs, all  plants grow faster than in the winter time. We  human organisms

do too!... maybe not as lovely as the flowers that bloom in its season... or even the ivy that gets longer each summer. But our hair does grow (bloom?) quicker. So as we must mow our lawns and trim our bushes more often so must we trim our hair."

Wow, never thought of it that way! Analogies between us and daffodils...or grass. I'm impressed

as always with Paula's wide range of interests.   

Then we have our ANITA who never fails to speak in cliches, so the mention of daffodils and lilacs

bring images to her mind; '' Our eyes are the windows to OUR SOUL." she quotes. 

" Maybe so,"  bursts out 'Contrary'  Donna," but what about our ears ?"

"You mean the sounds we hear in our Senior Home sitting room and on the patio?" I said, "The 

 singing, humming..."Sunshine, on my shoulders makes me happy...."

 "Well, I didn't mean those sounds," said Donna.  " I mean the 'ouch's and 'ows',  moans, 

grunts and  groans... coughs and belch' s... yawns... those WIDE yawns, that we can see down to the  throat...those noises."

"Sure," I added, "and those knocks and pops that come from my knees!" 

"What about the expectorating," said Jean. "GROSS"

"The what?" asked Kate.

"You know, 'spitting up' ". 

" WELL, WE  don't do that," interrupted Kate, "That's a man thing." She pointed to Gil, who was dozing in his chair.

"Like him. He makes noises that sound like a hippo sneezing!"

That image had us all laughing..... 

AND, another one, a biggie. Does the teenage girls', notions  of romance carry into her adulthood,

through her middle years and even old age ? I have watched with fascination women in their 80'S 

(and older) listening to and singing along with the old love songs that taunt them still...

'Someday...when I'm feeling low, I will get a glow just thinking of you, And the way you look tonight." 

They sway as they sing, with eyes closed, and lips in the sweet smile of remembrance.

That first crush at  fifteen, it was never forgotten. And then the love in the 20's, 30's, 40's and up,

for some  of us it was now all lost, gone.
While for others, the lucky ones, the memory of that love flourishes and remains for a lifetime.

                                                                            THE END