Eyes that see the good in things: Oct. 15, 2018

Several years ago, after her son started ziplining, my sister-in-law dared my almost 80-year-dad to zipline on Fremont Street in Las Vegas, on the trip they were planning to be taking there together. She even told him that she’d do it if he did. If you’re not familiar with a zipline, it consists of a pulley suspended on a cable, mounted on a slope. It is designed to enable a user to attach to the pulley and be propelled by gravity to travel from the top to the bottom. Zipline tours have become popular vacation activities, but I don’t think she expected him to take her up on it. In any case, they both did it. She even posted the picture, with a warning not to challenge him to a dare unless you’re willing to follow through.

Following in her mother’s footsteps, my niece has now asked her over 83-year-old grandpa to do a 5K run with her. He told me the last time I visited him, that he thinks he’d like to do it. Although Sarah has run the Fargo Marathon before without her entire family showing up, I imagine we’d all be there to watch them cross the finish line if she convinced Grandpa to do a 5K with her.

It would be another great memory for the two of them. However, several articles I’ve been reading make me realize that it’s not just my dad who is enjoying a few of these life moments. Many seniors are. As the population of the United States is getting older with average life expectancy rising due to advances in medicine, nutrition and safety, many of today’s seniors aren’t content to sit on the sidelines. As a matter of fact in 1988, former President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation honoring the contribution of older Americans to their communities.

In an article written for the Huffington Post, Hillary Young quoted President Reagan’s statement that “…older citizens are reinforcing their historical roles as leaders... older people are embarking on second careers, giving younger Americans a fine example of responsibility, resourcefulness, competence, and determination.” Reagan’s sentiment is even more true today, as I found while reading about their accomplishments. It seems like as Americans age, they are doing more and becoming more inspirational than ever before. In some cases, they are doing things that most younger people haven’t or can’t do. One of the stories that stands out in my mind is the story about former President George H.W. Bush, who celebrated his 80th, 85th and 90th birthdays by skydiving. Jumping out of a plane just doesn’t seem like something to do in your 80s and 90s, if you ask me but it’s pretty cool.

• At age 85, Ironman Lew Hollander is the oldest Ironman competitor in the world, doing one of the toughest triathlon races that can be done. He broke the Guinness Book of World Records when he was 82. He competed in his fist Ironman competition at the age of 55 and recently finished his 59th Ironman race.

Edith Wilma Connor started getting bored at her regular job when she was in her 60s and decided to start lifting weights to challenge herself. She entered her first Bodybuilding Competition in Las Vegas at the age of 65 and won it. At age 80, she attained the Guinness World Record for the Oldest Living Female Bodybuilder.

• John Samnartini started competitive cycling at the age of 55 and has competed in the Huntsman World Senior Games and the National Senior Games for over 25 years and was inducted into the Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame.

• Geneva Eskrivage, a 92-year-old grandmother, decided to try skydiving for the first time last year after she was diagnosed with cancer. While her cancer diagnosis gave her the impetus to take that leap out of a plane, Eskrivage hopes her act will inspire others to be able to fulfill one of their own dreams.

Charlie Edwards decided to take up archery at the age of 92, and at the age of 96 won his first gold medal at the National Senior Games. He took last place in his first competition, but recently took home a gold medal.

• Georgina Harwood jumped out of a plane when she turned 92 with 15 friends and family members and two days after that, she went swimming with sharks. Her motto is “Do it now! Whether it’s comfortable or uncomfortable, good or bad, relaxing or challenging – don’t delay.”

• Harriette Thompson became the oldest woman ever to complete a 26-mile race. At 92, Thompson finished the marathon in 7 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds. Thompson was a classically trained pianist who played three times at Carnegie Hall, and she says she plays old piano pieces in her head to get through marathons. She has raised over $90,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since she started running.

• At the age of 95, Nola Ochs became the nation’s oldest college graduate. After raising her kids, Ochs started taking a few classes at her local community college to keep herself busy. Before she knew it, she was just 30 hours shy of a bachelor’s degree. After graduating alongside her 21-year-old granddaughter, she then decided to get her master’s degree in liberal studies, which she received at the age of 98. She encourages people to keep on learning, telling them their education is never complete.

• 78-year old Ernestina Shepherd works as a certified personal trainer at her Baltimore gym, working with clients less than half her age. She wakes up at 3 a.m. every morning to work out, running 80 miles every week and bench pressing 150 pounds.

Yes, these people of all ages are showing that they are more active and inspiring than ever before, and some of them are achieving incredible accomplishments that many younger people have not or cannot. That list of people is just a handful of some of the amazing seniors that are living in America today and I know that we all know people like them. However, the lesson that I learned is that we can learn a lot about determination and reinvention from their stories. These people are constantly reinventing their own stories. They reinvent their story and they change their life. And it’s never too late to change our lives.

We would love to share local stories about the good things your eyes are seeing.

Stop in to share your stories with us, give us a call at 947-2417 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Or send a letter to Eyes That See the Good in Things, c/o Allison Lindgren, The Transcript, 6 8th St N., New Rockford, ND 58356.