Nora 102 1/2: A Lesson on Aging Well

NORA 102 ½: A Lesson on Aging Well shows an ordinary woman’s journey toward blossoming into personal fulfillment that began during her senior years. Nora Shaw, the widowed former teacher and social worker and my mom, found her days ignited after she reached sixty. Even while her vision decreased, her joie de vivre lasted well into her one hundredth year. It’s what made countless people say, “You’re my hero. I want to be just like you.” And a popular TV talk show invited us to be on the program after they learned about things she still did late in life. The mayor of our university city learned to dance so he could dance with her at a party. “I’ll dance with you again when you’re 110,” he said. She grinned and touched a finger to his chest. “I’ll hold you to that.” Millions of people of all ages have found themselves caught up in the Betty White mania. A popular contestant of a fairly recent America’s Got Talent was a seventy-five year old jokester, Grandma Lee. It’s possible that both women ignited memories of viewers’ own beloved grandparents. Just as likely, both women’s fans were looking for inspiring examples of how to age well. My mother is certainly an example. I watched during her late years as she gave herself permission to step out of her comfort zone. She could be free to be herself—and surprisingly, that self turned out to be fun. She enjoyed the limelight. My mother? My stilted Catholic mother? It’s never too late, she and others of us learned. The way she lived her senior years can show anyone how to live a much fuller life. This is a story about her. Or maybe it’s a daughter’s coming-of-age during her late middle years since my life certainly changed as I shared the path during her transformation. Possibly it’s both. I do hope you’ll enjoy getting to know my mom. May her story also give you hope.