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November 16, 2014
Good Morning,
Every year, in late autumn, I await the arrival of a big pile of seaweed, fresh from a local beach. It is used as mulch for the roses. It provides excellent winter protection from the frost and thaw cycle, with the added benefit of leaching essential nutrients into the soil.
It is delivered by friends who are in their eighties. They arrived yesterday afternoon, with a full load, pitchforks in hand. Beach sand was still clinging to the tangled tendrils, and the smell of the sea wafted up off the truck bed. They were glowing after their day at the beach. They talked about the people they met, the large Belgian dog walking beside the sea, and the cold wind blowing off the ocean.
A few weeks ago, I called them to check in. With great excitement, they announced that they had just picked up four new sheep and settled them into the barn. They were elated. It had been about ten years since they had sheep grazing in their fields. They said that they missed having them around. She is a spinner and skilled knitter. In the spring, the coats of these sheep with be shorn, carded, and spun on her spinning wheel. The result will be skeins of off white and brown wool. It will be hand dyed in a large pot on the wood stove, and hung from the kitchen beams to dry. This will be accomplished with much attention to detail and a great deal of joy.
Every morning, on my way to work, I drive by their farm. The sheep are grazing on the hillside, wood smoke is rising from the chimney, and a few of the last roses of the season are blooming in front of their antique cape. Those stalwart roses are the result of the nourishment provided by the seaweed placed around the roots last year.
It is important for us to have people like them in our orbit. They are a constant reminder of how to live life fully. They show us that life's joys still exist in one form or another, even when our bodies are less cooperative. They remain active, despite the challenges they face, and they continue to take on new ventures. They remain open to new ways of thinking, and continue to be active politically and socially.
Recently, there has been discussion in the media about, what is called, "aging in place." The Center for Disease Control defines it as "the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level." You can learn more about this on their website (www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/terminology.htm). The focus of this initiative is to identify what is needed to age in place and to develop laws, policies, and procedures to help assist those choosing to age in place. There is now a National Aging in Place Week and a National Aging in Place Council. Action plans are being created to address the future needs of older adults and to ensure that the necessary services are available.
Reading the research currently available, you might get the impression that the concept of aging in place is a new idea. Earlier in our history, families all lived together under the same roof or in close proximity. They took care of one another. Communities were more involved in meeting the needs of their neighbors. Our ancestors had this down to a science. This wasn't discussed, it was practiced.
Every year when the seaweed delivery arrives, I am reminded that our friends, even in their eighties, continue to live with intention. They serve as excellent role models. I find their strength of will and resolve to live life as fully as possible, both admirable and inspiring. They are aging in place and thriving.
