rechelle's lifelyrics

…and Gracefully.

As I feel my age hindering me physically and mentally, I am so impressed with the women in my life who are several years ahead of me. I’m grateful to observe their gumption, and learn-new-things attitude even though they certainly are dealing with even more hindrances than I, at 60, can imagine facing in 10 or 20 years from now.

Lynda told me she has always wanted to learn piano. She has never had lessons. At 81 years old, she invited me to help her find a good piano so that she could begin taking lessons from me. I started designing custom made lessons to fit the learning goals she expressed, and it has been so rewarding to get together with her and see her growth from zero knowledge of playing music! I am so honored to be a part of this amazing journey she has begun, and it inspires me to continue to press toward things I don’t know how to do as I age.

I can’t help but remember my grandma, who was always so proud of learning to play the organ at age 50. She ended up playing alongside our pianist in our church for many years. Ray and I still enjoy their music (that I transferred from cassette tape to .mp3 files) every Sunday morning.

Anita is a woman I accidentally began to know when I started volunteering at the Junction City Grange. She is a veteran, tireless volunteer, and an amazing “Get-it-done” person that I have always been surprised by and impressed with. She led our group through some very troubling times in the 12 or so years I was trying to help out at that Grange. I feel privileged to have worked with Anita at the Junction City Grange, and for the friendship we developed over time. Ray and I recently visited her at her home, and she is still going strong.

My friend, Peggy, grew up on a farm in Canada. She has always been a hard working woman with a heart of service for her community. She does so much for the Irving Grange. I began really getting to know Peggy when our church moved from the Junction City Grange to the Irving Grange a few years ago. We’ve worked on a few projects together, and I’m always amazed at her energy level that surpasses mine even though she is several years older than I am. She is sharp, and still going full blast, helping her daughter with foster child care, volunteering for the Irving Grange, and running her own court reporting service.

My mother-in-law is 80 years old now, and she is another great example of aging with so much energy and ability to help others in her life. She is always surprising me with the new things she is taking on, learning, and accomplishing.

It’s hard to imagine keeping up with any of these women when I get to be their age, because they seem to surpass me in so many ways already. One thing I can do is embrace the stage I am in, and follow the example of these women who never stopped moving, learning, and serving people around them.