Softball Reveals the Reality of Aging

Playing softball is one of my favorite activities, but this Fall softball began to reveal the sad fact that I'm slowing down. Julio Franco I'm not.

I was going to sit out the Fall, but I was drafted. I enjoy the men, the exercise and a little competition. I was always a singles hitter, but once I get on base, I am fast. My strength is defense. I really enjoy shagging those flies and chasing down those liners. Unless you drill it over my head, nothing gets by me.

Until recently. I can still catch up with the ball, but my hand and eye coordination is faltering. The other night I ran in on a sinking liner. I was there. My brain told my glove where to go, but the ball somehow flew under my glove. I didn't get my hand there fast enough. I didn't misjudge it. I just missed it. Use to be, if I caught up with it, I'd catch it.

Then at the plate I swung and missed. Do you know how embarrassing it is to take a mighty swing and miss in slow pitch softball? Again, the reflexes are declining.

I began to notice my slowing reflexes while playing ping pong with my 15-year-old Jonathan. He'd hit a hard one to the corner. My brain would tell my paddle where to go, but it'd get there too late. The ball would zip by while my paddle was in slow motion.

I guess it's time to face the reality that I'm not as young as I used to be, but we still have much for which to be thankful. As one church member says, at least we're not on the brown side of the grass. As Thanksgiving approaches, I am thankful for life and another opportunity to take stock of my many blessings.

Julie Andrews performed “My Favorite Things” in the classic movie “The Sound of Music.” Someone emailed me a “blue haired” version of that song recently. Here are the lyrics:

“Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favorite things . . .

“Cadillacs, cataracts, hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

“When the pipes leak,
When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.

“Hot tea and crumpets, and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heat pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.

“Back pains, confused brains, and no fear of sinnin'
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin'
And we won't mention our short shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.

“When the joints ache,
When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,

And then I don't feel so bad.”