This evening Rich and I took out the people (a single gent and a single lady and in their early 70's -neither act like it) on our home teaching list to supper. When we first met them last year we thought they ought to get to know one another and this proved a great time to do that. It turned out to be quite an enjoyable evening - not nearly as awkward as I thought it might be. Both of them have children - hers are in Virginia, Indiana, and here, his are here and in Knoxville, and of course we are empty nesters too.

I can readily see how difficult it is to get a single adult program off the ground. The responsibilities and ties that we have to those we are intimately involved with are still extremely important and we want to take every opportunity we can to be with and for them. Unfortunately however, there are many long hours and days with little to occupy one's mind or time unless one chooses to overcome the barriers of age, illness, finances, transportation, etc. and to get involved. I think back to a talk I heard at conference a long time ago - can't remember who even talked about this (except I think it was a Sister - so maybe R.S.) - who was talking about self reliance and mentioned that one of the best things that we can do is to develop talents, hobbies, and interests that we enjoy doing and that can be done independent of those we love or of other people. It made good sense to me then (and I was a middle aged mom) but having a desire to do things was not a problem - time and money was. But as I move more solidly into this next phase of life I can more appreciate the wisdom of this counsel. Again, time and money are factors - but I certainly have MUCH more time than I did just a couple of years ago (an money too) and I have tons of things that interest me and I like to do - now the quest is to safeguard health so that I can engage in these for as long as I choose.

Time - that elusive commodity. So easily wasted. So easily wished away. So precious. I guess the same questions about our use of time are appropriate for any age. What are we doing of value with this very precious gift? Are we choosing to help and lift another or are we engaged in time-wasting activities that have little return on our investment? Are we improving ourselves, anxiously engaged, or are we just going with the flow?

I remember watching a moving a long time ago - it had Meryl Streep in it (I think) - called "Defending Your Life." In some ways it was quite thought provoking - it was about a couple of people who had died and now were engaged in reviewing and defending their lives. Both my Mom and Rich's Mom had reached points in their lives when they "were ready to go." Both expressed satisfaction with their lives - and I wonder if that says something to me about my life - I have too many things I need and want to do and I wonder if I would be satisfied with my choices - or if I would have lots of regrets - not so much about what I have done - but what I should have done or wished I had done...it just seems that there is so much that can and should be done...and I sometimes wonder (and perhaps I ought to ask this question always LOL) what Heavenly Father would have me do...would He be proud...what did I turn away from because it was too hard, I was too tired, or lazy, or self-centered, or proud, or I just didn't see a way to accomplish it and I didn't think to ask Him how? Ahhhhh...these melancholy moments! Live so that there are NO REGRETS!

On a lighter note - yesterday the tv was on and Rich was half heartedly listening to an old Alfred Hitchcock program. Anyone reading this is way to old to remember him...but the series was a staple in homes across America in the late 50's and early 60's. It was usually pretty entertaining and had a twist in each program. But what sparked my memory was the drawing of him at the close of the show - it is a line drawing - a cariacture really - easily depicting his rotundness - he was obese. Well, when my brother, Mike, was about 4-ish he thought that he would give my mom a compliment. He told her that she had a "head just like a basketball." After a while I guess he thought that had not come out quite like he thought it would and so he told her that she "had a bottom just like a drum." Mom knew that he was trying his best to be complimentary - but she didn't anticipate that her less than enthusiastic appreciation for his compliments would bother him so much that he kept trying to find ways that expressed all the love he was feeling until he told her, "Mom, you look just like Alfred Hitchcock!" Oh Mike - you need to learn to stop when you're ahead! Kids really do say the darndest things! LOL