Tuesday, September 05, 2006

OLDER BUT STILL KICKING

I was out on my deck yesterday when I happened to glance across the road and saw my elderly neighbor, Mrs. Dutton, hobbling through the tall grass and chasing her grandkid's escaped pony (a slow motion chase, with the pony wondering around and Mrs. Dutton leaning on her walking stick as she made her way through the snakey growth). This wouldn't have been so notable except that Mrs. Dutton is at least in her 80's and just barely able to walk plus her house is 1/2 mile away! Mr. Dutton died in 1999 but the old lady refuses to ask for help from anyone and insists on doing everything for herself.

I kept seeing a vision in my mind of the pony knocking her down and all the other horses trampling over her poor old body so my son,Chane, crossed the fence and helped her lead the errant equine home.

Watching her struggle with her own shaky gait, the overgrown pasture and willful pony without any complaint or concession to her advanced years, I could only admire her strength of will & character. One of my hopes for the future is that when I reach Mrs. Dutton's age (if I live that long) that I'm half as feisty as her.
Here's to strong, independent women whatever their age!

2 comments:

yellowdoggranny said...

i hope to be riding a horse when im that age...to rustle cattle...with my band of grannie horse thieves with me..

anonymous jones said...

I like that.