One of the best ways to stay young is to hang out with younger people. I spent so many years as a room mother that I thought I would never get out of the school system. Actually I still help out occasionally because my grandson is in the second grade and my daughter works full time.
Once in a while a comment slips out of her mouth acknowledging the importance of simply being present in a child's life. Those are the times I know that my efforts have been and are appreciated. One day she told me she felt fortunate because, unlike some of her friends, she never came home to an empty house when she was a child.
My little grandson is the one who keeps me young now. We share a special bond that goes way beyond this life. I consider it a privilege to have been chosen as his grandmother and take every opportunity to help him grow. My grandparents provided balance in my life and I am passing on what I was taught to another generation.
Balancing one's life is something learned with age. It did not come easy for me. Today I can be a mother, grandmother, friend, inspirational writer and still have plenty of time for me. It took many years to accomplish this fete. Normal people would probably have learned this lesson much earlier.
I did not grow up in the electronic age, which frustrates my daughter. I still remember when the first TV sets came out. She doesn't understand why I have trouble figuring out simple tasks on my computer. Her favorite expression lately is, "Well normal people would just..."
I decided long ago that I am not normal and I thank God for his creativity. It is fun being a non-conformist in a conformist world. It drives some people crazy because they never know what I am going to do next. Sometimes neither do I!