What Will You Do At 92?

Last week on the CBS Evening News, Steve Hartman profiled Nola Ochs as part of his Friday Assignment America segment. Nola Ochs is mother, grandmother, great grandmother and as of last Saturday the oldest person to finish college. She is 92 years young.

I felt inspired by Hartman's story of Ms. Ochs. It seems that Ms. Ochs started taking correspondence courses back in 1972 after her husband died. This past year she decided to kick her studies into high gear and finish up her degree so she decided to mosey on up to Fort Hays State University grab a dorm room and finish what she started so long ago. What makes this story even cooler, is she would finish up and graduate with her granddaughter Alexandra.

To read the story and watch the video of last week's segment, click here.

What do you plan to be doing at 92?

In a time when people work to quit working, Ms. Ochs stands as a definite example that life and learning certainly doesn't end when the retirement party is thrown and your desk is taken by someone else. No, in fact I believe that very possibly that just might be when life actually begins.

How many of us fixate on retirement and the day we don't have to go to work anymore? How many of us have visions of playing with the grandkids and piddling in the yard? Though I submit those are all very worthwhile ways to spend your time I suspect that achieving more, learning more and being more might just be as rewarding....if not perhaps slightly more rewarding.

Rather than looking at being 36 and over a 1/3 of my life being over, I think it might be more appropriate to wonder what I will be learning, who I will be advising and just how inspiring my actions might be in 56 years. What about you?

Thank you Ms. Ochs for inspiring me and creating a Ripple in Austin, Texas. I hope our paths cross at some point in the future though I understand you may be busy. Ms. Ochs starts course in July to begin working towards her masters degree.

Ripple On!!!

Steve Harper

Friends....No Matter What

As many of you may know my Mom has been battling Alzheimer's for the past several years. Alzheimer's is a horrible, horrible disease for which there is no current cure. It has completely robbed my mom of her ability to really communicate and care for herself and these past few years have been a struggle for her. My Dad is her primary caregiver and despite them both being in their early seventies, he faces obstacles in her care that no one should ever have to face. But you know what? It's the love that drives him and to know him and my Mom, it is truly, truly inspirational.

Dad lives for those special moments when Mom will look up at him with those still sparkling eyes and give him a smile. Those moments happen less and less frequently but they are what I know truly drives Dad. Anyone who is around him can see the love and it still apparent to me that she is still his best friend in the whole wide world.

Last night on the CBS Evening News, Steve Hartman had a story about true friendship on his segment Assignment America (something I tune into every week and never miss). It was a story about a couple of friends who have been getting together to play cards every week for over 50 years. The story was both heart-tugging and inspirational as it showed what life-long friendship really means.

One of the players a man named Charlie suffers from a form of Alzheimer's. They still include him and live for those same special moments that I know my Dad searches for every single day. The story had me in absolute tears as it made me miss my Mom more than you could ever know.

I wanted to share the link to this special video with you all for two reasons:

First, thank you Steve Hartman for reminding me just why I do what I do and why the concept of creating Ripples every day is so important. These guys truly "got it" and stand as an example of being Ripples in each other's lives every day. We could all be so lucky to have friends like this when we reach their age. The Ripples we create today may very help us do that.

Lastly, I share this because of my Dad. Thank you Dad for never giving up on her and for keeping steady watch out for those fabulous smiles that no doubt, only happen because you are still by her side. I love and miss you both and please give Mom a special hug and kiss from me.

Please watch the video by clicking on the link below and let me know what you think.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2533057n

Ripple On!!!

Steve