Bookends of Life

“In the evening of our life, we will be judged on love.”

Her angelic face with wide opened baby-blue eyes shouted joy and wonderment as she was playing with soap bubbles on a sunny day. Her head was adorned with a princesses tiara, sitting atop wavy blonde hair. Her arms extended with hands open, she appeared to be trying to capture a bubble without bursting it. She was only about 3 to 4 years as I could tell from the picture. Thoughts of the innocence of youth came to my mind. How young children know nothing but to be loved and love as their go from infancy to early childhood.

The near billboard size picture of Nola Ochs in her cap & gown at her graduation ceremony caught my eye. The wrinkles of her age, the grayness in her hair, were almost unnoticeable contrasted against the smile and warmth in her eyes. Her college graduation had to be one of the happiest moments, and biggest accomplishments in her life. She was 95 in 2007 when she graduated.

Seeing both those pictures on the same day, Nola’s at the airport and the young girl’s in the hotel elevator, made me think about the ‘bookends of lives’. How between the wonderment of youth and the wisdom of age many of us tend to wander, discontent, looking for answers, and failing to enjoy the moment. Through expectations others put on us, those put upon ourselves, and everyday responsibility our tendency is look outside ourselves to find happiness when true happiness is within.

The child’s simple view at life and the wisdom of the ages should be directional beacons on how to live our lives; simple, thankful, respectful, caring, hopeful, not wishing you would have done something in life you always wanted to do, regretting time not spend with friends and family, grateful to see another day, and as Leo Buscaglia put it…”living, loving, and learning.”

My challenge is to keep the child alive and learn the lessons of those who have walked before me. Live with love, wonderment, and the wisdom to separate the important from the necessary.

NOTE: You can do a key word search on NOLA OCHS and read about her record breaking accomplishment of being the oldest person to get a college degree. Amazing!! The irony is many of us think life has passed us bye.