I just spent five days in Pittsburgh, where I had the pleasure of visiting my 90-year-old step grandmother, Laddie. She has always been a kindred spirit with an interest in the arts. When she was growing up her mother would take her out of school to go see shows at Radio City Music Hall. Her parents cultivated a curiosity about the world so all five children in her family went to college. She was the youngest and entered Oberlin in 1937 followed by a career as a social worker. When my family visited as we were growing up, she and my grandfather always had a new craft for my brother and I to try or were ready with a series of classic books for us to read. Todd and I read the entire Wizard of Oz series at their house. After retirement, she and my grandfather ice skated until she was 81. She said it felt like flying. Some of the "young" ice skaters still visit her, as do people from her church and other family members. She also reads the paper and has a lot to say about the world. She told me that the world is too interesting not to pay attention. She doesn't keep up on every new technology, but she knows how to use a cell phone so that she can feel close to family in Seattle. Before I left, we looked at her wall of loved ones, framed photos of people past and present.
Although I do not share her genetics, she has passed along other parts of her recipe for a long, healthy life. Friends, curiosity, intelligence, physical activity, purpose and a sense of connection to those she loves. She said that she hopes there is a way for her to know about my adventures even after she dies. I hope so too.
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