That’s Life!
85-year-old Shirley Simeon has many stories to share. She is an older adult in Chicago who isn’t letting age get in her way of constantly thinking about and working on her next project. She admits that, physically she has less energy, but she’s not letting that get in her way. Having the honor of spending one afternoon with her certainly has me convinced that she is someone we should all admire and aspire to be like.
Academia has always been part of her life and she holds a Ph.D. in psychology. She is currently writing a pamphlet that she would like to see distributed in doctor’s offices. It is essentially a helpful guide about aging gracefully.
Shirley says her life is like the Frank Sinatra song, “That’s Life”. Shirley played the song for me on her CD player. She just nodded her head and smiled as Sinatra belted out the refrain:
I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king
I’ve been up and down and over and out and I know one thing
Each time I find myself flat on my face
I pick myself up and get back in the race.
Shirley has children, grandchildren, has worked with city leaders, and had a private practice. She says life is a roller coaster. And what a ride it is! There is wisdom and growth that comes from such a ride. Just hearing a snippet of her life on the ups and downs is very intriguing. Imagine what so many other stories are out there for older adults to share. Every senior living community is a gold mine when it comes to interesting resident life stories. Take the time to find just one nugget. It’s a unique way to learn and more importantly a way to reach out to those who want to remain engaged. Shirley has many stories. Is there a Shirley near you?
