Elderly vs. Old

I've just gotten off the phone with my Grandma. She's turning 74 this year and her life certainly has seen its hay day. The conversations we have now are very depressing. She talks about how she always has to rely on people. She talks about how she's selling this or that because "you can't take it to the grave with you."

Most of the time I don't know how to respond to any of the things she saying other than "wow" or "right...".

When she says something optimistic, it's easier to comment on and talk about further with her because it reminds me of old times I guess.

If I were her I would say something like "Kelly, don't smoke like I did." I would say "Do yoga everyday and eat right as often as possible. That way, when you are 74 like me, you won't be confined to your home but able to go out and about!"

But instead we talk about how much this hurts, and how she can't even walk anywhere for fear of falling and having to ask perfect stranger for help up and back home.

Listening to her makes me want to live a healthier lifestyle. My father's wife's Mother is 20 years my grandmother's senior and is still getting around just fine, talking about all the great things in life. You don't hear her complaining. It's sad that I look up to people that aren't even my blood family, but it's just the way it really is.

I hope to be an optimistic old fart.