I got off work about 2:30 this afternoon and took the kids shopping. Mother's birthday is this Friday. She will be 77. To me, she will always be in her 50's, for some strange reason - just like I always feel about 35, I suppose...
We had a funny conversation yesterday. We had a very laid-back day. The Christmas hullabaloo was over, which was nice. It was too cold to go outside. I don't know why, but I looked up some of my old boyfriends on Facebook. Some were just guys I had a crush on, not actual boyfriends, but it's always weird to see them 20 or 30 years later.
I was telling Mother this and she said "Well I can't find my old boyfriends on Facebook." She was clearly frustrated.
"Some of them are probably dead," I said, ever the diplomat. It just popped out.
She looked annoyed. "What are you talking about? They aren't dead. Most of them are Don's age." [Don is her older brother.]
"Mother, Don is 80 years old," I reminded her.
She looked exasperated. I dropped the subject.I thought about mentioning that a lot of older men simply cannot use the computer, but I didn't want to irritate her even more.
I thought later, isn't it amazing how our perceptions change as we age?! To me, 80 is ancient. To Mother it's not all that old.
The kids and I were in the car this afternoon and I was listening to the NPR story about the death of soul singer Teena Marie. I wa disturbed because she was only 54. The NPR story didn't mention a cause of death. Michael said "Maybe it was just her time." I said "Michael, 54 year old women do not just drop dead for no reason."
I thought later, to him, 54 is ancient, but not to me. To me, 80 is ancient, but not to Mother.
[Below, Mother and Don]
