joy: n. a feeling of great happiness or pleasure

“I’d like one of your “Big Dogs” with mustard, mayo, ketchup, relish, and onions, please.” 

I had placed this same order before with the young man at the local food cart. He and his dad, the one who prepared them, knew I wouldn’t be eating at one of the nearby tables. They readied a bag so I could take it with me.

survive: v. to remain alive or in existence: live on; to continue to function or prosper

age: v. to become old: show the effects or the characteristics of increasing age

“No one told me getting old was going to be this hard. I’m tired. I’m done.” I had to agree with my friend. Aging is not for the faint of heart. For many, the daily activities of living as an octogenarian and beyond become grueling tasks. Looking into the future can create fear while the imagination runs wild.

My own experience resembled hitting a wall when I encountered my eightieth birthday . . . or it encountered me. “Age is just a number. You’re only as old as you feel, Mom.” My children tried to offer me encouragement, but I would have none of it.