
by Peter Twitchell
I remember when I was 18 and somebody mentioned somebody turning 51 years of age. I overheard them and I thought to myself, 51? I’ll never get there, it’s too far! Needless to say, one morning I woke up, looked in the mirror, and I was 51 years old! Now I’m 74, how did I get here so fast?
Anyway, if I sit around for any length of time, I start realizing my knees start hurting and I can’t stand as long in line at the post office or the store. I thought to myself back when I was younger that I saw people my age today in wheelchairs.
Today, to exercise my legs, I ride a bike, walk, do sit-ups, push-ups, and my body, amazingly, when I do little workouts works better and there’s less pain and the pain in my legs exist so exercise is always good.
I don’t try to push myself too hard at my age, I do feel limited today about my lifting power.
When I was in high school in Bethel, I wrestled all four years of my years in high school. My Mom and Dad always went berry picking every summer, July 22 to be exact. We were gone for two weeks and then at that time we filled a 100 gallon wooden barrel and 250 gallon wooden barrels for Grandma and my sister Juanita Treat.
I call her my sister because I didn’t have any sisters or brothers when I was growing up. My mother’s three year-old daughter passed away from spinal meningitis, and my little brother who was a year younger than me was stillborn.
I think if I sat around day after day, I would need a wheelchair for sure. We have to keep walking and doing what we can to keep our legs circulating and not go stiff like sticks.
I do pick up the guitar and play it and sing every day. It’s true about our voice never changing.
Have a great summer and don’t forget to use your float coat or lifejacket when you’re out on the water boating. Thank you.