by Betty Tesh

Created on: May 14, 2009

After taking a tumble on my front steps, I happened to mention to a friend that I was humiliated at having to rely on a cane to get around.

"Sweetie," she replied, "humiliation is one of those things that disappear as we get older, along with our thick, luxurious hair, our dewy fresh skin, our girlish waistlines, our real teeth, our hearing and eyesight, and the ability to get out of a chair without making noise. Frankly, one of the great pleasures in my life right now is to put on a red silk blouse (leaving an extra buttonhole at the bottom), a pair of purple slacks, and a straw hat covered with daises and drive across town in my green 1997 Buick Town Car. I will carefully park catty-cornered in a handicapped space, and totter from my car, leaning on a buggy for support. I can spend as much as 20 minutes in the pedestrian walkway, causing a traffic jam in front of Wal-Mart, but every one of those young whipper-snappers who stop to look at me think, "Lord, she must have been something in her day!"

"Honey," she said encouragingly, "let's take pride in every ache, every pain, every wobble, every "Eh? what did you say?" Let's wear our weaknesses like battle ribbons on our drooping chests. If we can't step off a curb without assistance, let's proudly call for assistance. As I see it, we've earned the right to be catered to! After all, weren't we the generation who discovered Elvis and The Big Bopper? Our parents may have been the "Greatest Generation", but we were the ones who created Rock and Roll! The younger generations owe us plenty for that alone."

She paused and manually lifted one of her eyelids, so I could see the sparkle in her eye. "Besides," she continued, "'Being old helps in the Lord's work. When they see me, how many people stop and thank God they're not in my orthopedic shoes and wrinkled support hose?' When I nod off in church, the people around me think I'm deep in prayer, and wish they were as spiritual. How many souls have I brought to Jesus simply because my arthritic knees won't raise me up from the altar? And when the Lord puts a burden on someone's heart to be of service, who better to help than a frail old widow? Yes, Honey, we old folks have a great calling: It's our Christian duty to make others feel better about themselves. Humiliation? Forget about it! Take pride in your decrepit-ness. It's about all we've got left to be proud of."

She clumped away, leaving a trail of tissues behind her, and the wafting odor of lilac body powder and Ben-Gay. My cane was no longer an embarrassment, but a scepter of honor, thanks to her.

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