“God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December,” proclaimed Sir James Matthew Barrie sometime in the early 1900s. Born in 1860 he lived a full thoughtful life, with his share of sorrow and success. His saying naturally resonates with me: At 94, I can smell those roses! With open arms, I welcome home the memories triggered by the scent.
Life has no set formula. We live our lives differently, and we age differently. One of the common experiences is realizing that age steals many of the abilities and interests once enjoyed. The good news is that the problems I encounter as the years pass are manageable. The joys I experience continue to accumulate. Now deep into my December, as countless wonderful memories drift in, I pick my roses, contentedly.