Lucia has something to say

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Rock the Casbah

The holiday office party. At the Casbah. Dinner and drinks. Dolmades and falafel. Hummus and baba ganouj. Spanakopita and pita. The conversation swirls around to how exciting Madison was in the 1960s, to what dog parks we visit, to designing tattoos and to travel.

One conversation stands out from the rest. A co-worker’s wife told me about her 70-year-old mother who has most recently been in Kuala Lumpur. Her mother keeps traveling. She sleeps in bus stations. She has her pack down to 15 pounds and no more. And I thought, “She’s my kind of woman.”

It’s good to have role models for the future, to mark the point to which we’re headed, to show us that we can keep on going on our paths. For today, she is my spot on the horizon, where I want go. I have a real fear of aging. Of its limitations. Of closed doors and lost opportunities. Of endings rather than beginnings. But sometimes, there’s a crack in that door and the light shines through, and I hear about someone who delights and inspires me to look forward with energy rather than fear.

And a Thursday morning addition: After listening to half an hour of news on NPR, I realized I didn't want to start my day thinking about war, so I flipped it off, cranked Mike Doughty's Looking at the World from the Bottom of the Well, and feel much better prepared for the day after a good dance. "That Cuban girl...That brought me low...She had that skin so fine and red lips rose-like now...Her mouth was wide...And sweet as well...And now relentless hours of dreaming up her smell..."

11 Comments:

Blogger Girlplustwo said...

I have a friend who at 60, gave it all up and started travelling the world. Alone.

She's somewhere in Asia right now, living her life. Loving her life.

It can only get better, if we choose it. That is my hope.

11:01 PM  
Blogger Dh@v@! said...

Yeah… never think that way….
No body can control aging but we can do something for enjoyment…
In India we call “Aadmi umar se budha hota hai dil se nahi” means getting old is concern with age only and not with Heart, you can stay ever young by heart.

So don’t worry and njoy!!!
Take care

4:10 AM  
Blogger karmic said...

Lovely post and that lady in her 70s is such an inspiration. We have hope of much that can be done even in those years when supposedly we are so over the hill.

That food at the party sounds very delicious.

7:12 AM  
Blogger Lynnea said...

Me too! Me too! I want to be the travelling grandma.

"Where is grandma now?"

"Last we heard she was in Ushuaia!"

7:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lucia, woke up thinking about your little dog, and that got me thinking about the Jayhawks, and therefore (shameless attention grabbing) posted blue at pottersblog. Sweet.

7:51 AM  
Blogger Dan said...

Good for you for turning things into a positive. There are good things and bad things. When we obsess over the bad things, we feel SO GOOD don't we? And when we obsess over the good things we feel SO LOUSY right?

:)

8:58 AM  
Blogger Mona Buonanotte said...

Mr. Doughty always picks me up! I was just fantasiz...er...I mean...thinking of him just this morning...!

10:36 AM  
Blogger Citymouse said...

Ahhh, back to reading your blog and sipping coffee. I no longer read the paper or listen to the news first thing in the morning. I have several morning playlists on my computer and they go on first-- life is too short and the bad news will not end soon- it will be there when i read the paper or look online later.

10:39 AM  
Blogger thailandchani said...

Love it! That is the kind of "grandma" I dreamed of being, also. I truly hope you will read the book about Freya Stark. There are many such stories out there, each one more inspiring than the previous one. If I'd known then what I know now.... LOL


Peace,


~Chani

11:13 AM  
Blogger QT said...

The Casbah is one of my favorite spots as well. Lucky you!

I will be like that lady if it kills me. I would rather die than have it any other way.

11:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love this fabulous 70 year old woman you describe. And I love the idea of dancing rather than listening to the news. I might try this idea. I'm sure it's way better for the soul.

11:44 AM  

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