I am going to talk about my physical check up yesterday.
I received an excellent report and I can't help but think
that I must have gotten my maternal grandmother's genes.
She died at ninety two, having outlived two of her three
daughters. She was in a nursing home the last year of her
life but remained engaged with life and her family. She
had to have twenty four hour a day supervision because of
her propensity to fall.

I visited her often. I went by her house one afternoon and
she was making doll costumes for the state historical society.
At the time she was eighty nine. She painted and crocheted
regularly. Her great grandchildren were very much a part
of her life and we loved her a lot. Her legacy to me was
a knowledge of our ancestors and the lives that they had
lived plus a cherished portrait of her parents. Her glass
was always half full and her sense of humor never failed her.


The bad aspect of living to a great age is that you outlive
your friends. Many of mine are gone and two of my good
friends have the dreaded Alzheimer's that robs you of
your humanity. My sister told me yesterday that two of
our high school friends had died. She lives in a town
where we all grew to adulthood.

My sister must have gotten the same good genes because she
is also healthy and vigorous at seventy nine. We are much
healthier than any of our children and wonder why. I
envision a future where genetics can be altered to prevent
disease and a knowledge that keeps people well mentally
and Physically for a longer period of time.