Today we celebrated another birthday at the Senior’s Center. This particular woman was turning 75 years old. First of all, you would never guess that she is now 75, and second, I can’t even imagine living for 75 years. That seems like such a foreign number to me. I’m having enough trouble making it to the 20th birthday next year. Anyway, this woman was telling us about the things she has done and seen in her life and all I can say is ‘wow’. I hope that my life is half as exciting and full as hers. She’s had a husband, kids, grandkids; she’s traveled, worked and experienced so many great things. The best part about listening to her was that she seems genuinely happy. Yes, she had good times and bad times, but she was resilient enough to learn from them all and is a fantastic person for wanting to improve herself every step of the way. We cheered for her after we all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ but she certainly does deserve a round of applause. She is one amazing woman and has many good years left in her. After the birthday celebration, we returned to our usual pastime: gin rummy. I’m actually getting quite good at the card game, but what makes it even more fun is that the women and I are becoming good friends now. They look forward to seeing me each week and always ask if I will be back next week. We know enough about each other that the camaraderie is building and we can have normal conversations about nothing in particular rather than trying to make small talk. We kid each other about cheating if someone is doing well and congratulate one another on good turns. I’ve said this before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them all. Yes, I go “hang out with the ‘old people’”, but it is a great change of pace from campus and 20-somethings. It’s a new perspective on the “outside world” that doesn’t need to worry about papers and midterms. These folks have lived sometimes more than one lifetime of living already, and their stories are unforgettable. I’m already looking forward to next week for a fun game of cards and a great education on life and love ahead of me.