FOREVER YOUNG/FRED, GENE, GINGER AND ANN

I always loved tap dancing. When I was a very little girl, I couldn't wait to see  Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Ginger Rogers, and Ann Miller perform. (Well not exactly in person, of course, but on my television set).  I always felt happy while watching them dance.. And naturally I would try to mimic their steps, even though I didn't know what I was doing.

These dancers were my inspiration.

But the reality was, my mother couldn't afford to buy tap shoes, so instead my sister and had to take ballet lessons, less expensive shoes back then. No offense, but I didn't like ballet, and my sister, who is also my fraternal twin didn't like ballet either.  And I didn't know any famous ballet dancers, so needless to say, after one dance recital, I never ballet again.

When my boys were three years old, and yes they are also twins and identical at that,  I felt it was time to pursue my dream.  I signed up for private lessons at a local dance studio. It was one morning a week, while my boys were in nursery school.,  And wouldn't you know, a man was my teacher. Mr. Mack... At first I felt intimidated, but as I got used to his tone of voice, and my awkwardness of learning the steps, I was in my glory, but I also realized how easy Fred, Gene, Ginger and Ann made it look, when in fact it was a lot of  hard work and discipline. They just make it look effortless.

Well as time went on, I got pregnant again. Had a little girl, this time.  But when my little girl started kindergarden, I enrolled in another local dance studio, this time it would be with women of all ages... and a female teacher.  Sorry to say, I forgot her name. the mind goes first you know.. It was then I performed on a real stage for the first time, even though our dance performance was held at our local high school, it was a place where the High School performed their musicals etc. And what a thrill it was, and so much fun to show everyone what I'd learned, especially my family.  I'll never forget that feeling. What a shot to my ego.

Okay maybe I didn't become a well-known dancer, but I got a small taste of what my favorite dancers must have felt when they performed. And my dream did come true.

Of course, I eventually put those tap dancing shoes away, but I'll always have my memories of performing just like Fred, Gene, Ginger and Ann.  They are dancing in heaven now, bringing great joy to others who never had the opportunity to see them in person, at least that's what I'd like to believe, wouldn't you.

So I will say to you, Fred, Gene, Ginger and Ann, you will always be FOREVER YOUNG.

FOREVER YOUNG/JACK LA LANNE

 Jack La Lanne, who recently passed away at the tender age of ninety-six, lived life to it's fullest. He was an inspiration to all, because exercising and nutrition was a way of life.  And Jack LaLane lived life to the fullest.

He proved that you're never too old to take care of yourself. And that meant getting off that couch, and doing something about your health.

When I was young, I never exercised, unless you call dancing at weddings, or birthday parties exercise. Well I guess it was a form of exercising, but not  the regimented kind, where you really had to work those muscles. So one day at the age of thirty-nine, I decided to join a gym. After an intense workout, I knew I could handle anything  I felt good about myself, and of course didn't mine how great my body was looking.   Little did I know, a few years later, I would be training others at a gym, helping them to achieve their goals of staying fit and healthy.  It was a fulfilling and rewarding job. But as time went it, life changes, and I left that position to pursue other interest, but I never stopped  exercising, that is, until an accident years later stopped me.  No, I 'm not crippled, thank God for that, I just have a permanent back injury, which prevents me from doing any type of physical workouts.

So I guess that sums it all up, and all I can say, Jack La Lanne, an inspiration to all, and if you can
 hear me up there, you'll always be,  FOREVER YOUNG.

FOREVER YOUNG/MOM

Now that I've given you one example of Forever Young, I'll give you another.

My mom, who is eighty-seven, still walks to the store everyday, cooks, does the laundry and takes care of my brother, This comes from working hard all her life. She was a waitress for sometime, and for many years worked in a taylor shop, while raising three kids on her own.  She did the best she could for a single parent.

And yes my mom is still pretty feisty, and I'm so lucky to have her here. Though as mother's and daughter's go, we still get into our little cat and dog fights, but the scratches hurt less, and the bark is not so harsh, but of course when I was younger, I felt my world was fallen apart, and I was scarred for life, but scars heal eventually, and the ones that don't disappear, remain a very dull ache.

And now I have a daughter, grown up,  but will always be my little girl, and yes we  do have our little squabbles, but we also have a great relationship.

So I look at my mom and say FOREVER YOUNG.

FOREVER YOUNG/MY UNCLE

You might wonder why I chose the title Forever Young.   It's not  because of Mel Gibson and Jamie Lee Curtis, who starred in the film Forever Young,, or the song by Rod Stewart,  but for the pure joy of saying those two words. FOREVER YOUNG.

Now I know you're probably thinking, is she crazy, or what did she have to drink today?  I'm over fifty, sixty etc. etc. and etc.,

Well let me give you one example or maybe two...or more as I go along...

My uncle, who is eighty-eight years old, impersonated Elvis for many, many years. He had the women swooning over him, with  my aunt on the sideline, watching with pride, enjoying every moment.  Since my aunt's death, he stopped for awhile, mourning the lost of his soul mate. But as time went on, he got out his white sequin suit and wig, knowing she would approve, and started performing again, until he finally retired at the age of eighty-five.

He is also the busy traveler, who has been to so many places, that I've lost count with the latest being, a cruise to Alaska.... and now he has a companion, eighty-four years young, and both love to dance.

So Uncle, I must say you are a fine example to others, and of course to me, that you are never too old to live life to the fullest.

so  I look at my uncle and say he is FOREVER YOUNG.