Eleanor Collins was taking out the garbage last fall when she was struck by the beauty of a leaf on a nearby tree. It was a golden yellow with deeper tones around its edges. She took a few moments to marvel at it, reminding herself to enjoy the ephemeral magic of the moment because tomorrow there's going to be a wind that may take this leaf away.
It's how she lives each and every day consciously aware and appreciative of each blessing. I'm a 94-year-old who's very happy as I go off into the sunset, she says.
She's telling the story about the leaf the magnificence of nature's glory to illustrate her answer to the question, How on earth do you look and act so young at your age?
First, you have to have my mother because her philosophy starts my day: count your blessings. That sets you up for the day.
Pain in your legs? Be grateful you're still walking. Missing the people who have gone before you? Enjoy the company of those who are here.
She also takes care of her physical health. Every day she makes a fruit or vegetable smoothie to pack in as many nutrients as possible. After her husband had a heart attack, she stopped making (much to his chagrin) all those pies and cakes; no more oil-laden Yorkshire puddings covered in gravy with the Sunday roast.
To stay nimble, she used to do tai chi, then yoga, which was good for breathing and meditation. Now I'm down to chair aerobics following a program she taped on TV.
I'm a singer who secretly wanted to be a dance but never had the body, she adds. Now she gets a visceral work-out watching So You Think You Can Dance. It's an exercise just watching the show, she says with a laugh. It's how I get my kicks.
All that healthy food and regular exercise is for naught, however, unless you follow her mother's advice. Don't forget where your brain and heart are. That's your beginning. The words don't have to be spiritual but positive. Be grateful for where you are, whether you eat a doughnut a day or don't eat doughnuts. Realize your blessings.
Amen!
