More Than Fun & Games

This is one of my friends, I don't think she wants me to share her age, so I won't. In fact, she wasn't sure she wanted me to write about her, but eventually she agreed. She said I could use her picture, but not her name. In the end its about her inspiration....but she's pretty so I wanted you to "meet" her.

We were at a luncheon to benefit Healthier Moms and Babies today and as we spoke, I learned she had a "small heart attack" in January. When I discovered her age (one of the details I won't share) I asked her what she does to stay so youthful. What she said inspired me and I knew I had to write about it.

She used to be pretty active, but since the heart attack she hasn't quite had her energy back so she works to keep her mind active. Currently, she is teaching two people how to play cribbage. I love this. She didn't give up, she figured out what she could do and did that. She loves teaching the game because it means she has company and she gets to use her mind to stay active.

What she said next really made me smile -

"I also play Wii...to keep a little physically active."
Smiling and with a little wonder in my voice, I asked "What do you play?
 It turns out that she bowls. So do I.
"I'm pretty good at bowling." I tell her.
"So am I." She said.
She asked my high score, I said I didn't know, I just know I beat my kids at Wii bowling.
Her current high score is 260. Sometimes she bowls with her left hand to challenge herself. If she is too tired to bowl, she sits on a chair and bowls. "At least its something active." she said.

I want to be like her when I grow into a wise woman of the ages. Actually, I want to be like her now. I want to make sure I am looking for opportunities to challenge and stretch myself. I want to think outside the box. I want to bowl a 260! 

At the end of our time together today I asked if I could take her picture and write about how inspiring I find her. She teared up.She doesn't think she's that inspiring. She said "I just do little things." I told her that I believe it is the little things that make the most difference; that most of us can identify with the little things. She agreed. She hugged me and I received permission to write about a woman who I am going to invite over so we can have a bowling tournament. I'm going to try to beat her. I have a feeling I won't.