This isn't yet another post about the expected grandchild! It is an inspiring story from today's papers about a retired dentist and his wife about to start a new life in New Zealand. You may think there is nothing very unusual about a couple deciding to emigrate on their retirement but Mr King-Turner is 102 and his wife 87 years old.
Why do they want to change their lives so dramatically at their age? Mr King-Turner explains: "I like New Zealand. The way of life is much the same as here but it is not so crowded and the weather is better." He also gives us all some sound advice: if you want to do something, do it straight away. I think I might frame his next words to inspire me through 2008:
"What's important is that when I'm 105 I don't want to be thinking 'I wish I had moved to the other side of the world when I was 102.' "
A great story M and it resonates with the one piece of maternal advice I have consistently given my daughter, whenever she has asked whether or not she should or should not do something: namely that, in life, it's the things we don't do that we regret, not the things we do.
ReplyDeleteI also liked the story about the twin sisters in Cornwall, who celebrated their 100th birthday this week. They still live independently and lead full, rich lives, despite the physical limitations that come with age; one is learning Spanish so that she can converse with the relatives of her grandson's Peruvian wife.
(I do hope she's not relying on her local adult education service to provide the Spanish lessons; anything that is not linked to 'employability' is for the chop. It's been happening gradually and stealthily for the past decade but the withdrawal of funding for adult courses that are not specifically linked to employment is now official policy and in full swing across the country.)