Apalachin Community Press, January 2000

Mom's Wit

by Janet H. Brown

Now we can breathe with a sigh of relief that the new year has arrived without much fuss. Will this year be like any other year? I have come to the conclusion, yes it will, but we will have to take an extra second or two when writing the date.

Talk about an extra second or two, I wish I could get a few back for myself. I am now a year older, my birthday is at the end of the year and being over 45 years old is the pits. My children are very sweet, indeed they say I don't look older just old. I love them. What has happened this past year is that I need to wear bifocals all the time in order to read. I don't need them to see distance or while driving so I'll wake in the morning to get myself ready for work and walk out the door without them. When I get to work - which involves a lot of reading and writing - I soon realize I left them home. I'll call home pleading for my husband to bring my glasses to me at work. My friend at work - whom I will leave nameless - will laughingly hold the paper for me farther than arms' length and ask if I can see it.

I have now developed a problem with my heel and I limp when it is really painful. I have seen the podiatrist and he has given me a splint that looks like an open boot. I wear this at night. I look real cool, as my daughter has said, "Not." It has helped, but I pray I don't have to go to meet any strangers or friends while wearing the splint, because it just doesn't look fashionable with my pajamas. I have noticed that my hair is thinning, my skin is drier, and I'm beginning to sound like my mother. I pray I will grow old gracefully with time, because we know with certain it passes us by too quickly.