Marking time with important life events is as old as time as itself. There is the birth of your children, when you moved into your home, the death of a loved one and, of course, anniversaries, which grow more astounding as you grow older.
A Monumental Anniversary
This past weekend was my in-laws’ 62nd anniversary. Ann and Grady McCoy were married in 1959, the year of the first Grammy Award ceremony. That’s just some fun trivia to toss in the blog and a clever play on the word Grammy/Granny, though my mother-in-law is far from the stereotypical granny archetype.
Anyway … Twelve years ago, I took a picture of Gran Ann and Daddy Mac (what my children call their grandparents) on their 50th wedding anniversary, nestled together on a bench in my yard. They have not changed much, albeit their hearing loss. You would think, with all the technological advances of the 21st Century, someone would invent a hearing aid that works. Maybe, when Elon Musk’s hearing starts to fail, and I am sure it will from all his work around car engines and rocket launchers, he will take the initiative and invent a never-before-thought-of auditory invention. Again, I digress.
Twelve years ago, I took another picture, on that same bench, to commemorate their 50th anniversary. If the trees in the background hadn’t grown up behind them, you wouldn’t believe that 12 years have passed. They never seem to age!
It’s All in Your Head … and Body
So, what is my in-laws’ ‘Dorian Gray’ secret? For one, they seem to follow Ann’s mother’s advice to never turn down an invitation to do anything. At any given time, you might find them dining out or visiting with friends. They are active and genuinely interested in everybody and everything. In addition, they are pleasant, always respectful of others and their opinions, even if they disagree. Though they are social media savvy, you won’t find them posting or reposting hateful commentary. All these things add to their positive state of mind. They work at and are good at thinking happy thoughts.
As for their physique, it is simple: everything in moderation. They have no diet restrictions, eat smart (small portions of real food), take little medication and, except for on occasion, don’t overeat or over imbibe. For exercise, they walk the mall, their neighborhood, and during snow days they march in a circle in their home: down the hall, through the kitchen, around the living room and back again … can’t you just see it?!
Making Another Kind of Mark
This year the Friends of Dreamland plan to start (and finish by fall) Phase II of our NPS elevator addition thus making the Dreamland Ballroom ADA accessible. After the completion, I envision conversations from our friends, family and community using the new construction as a way to mark time in their minds, asking, “was that before or after the elevator addition?”
