Clinton Township Newsletter

1 M a y 2 0 1 7 Have you ever noticed those pages of female photos titled "Beautiful at any Age"? It showcases women in their 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's. Nary a hint of women over 80. It's as if the world paused spinning long enough for all of us past 80 to get off. Don't we qualify to be "Beautiful" as well? OK – I'm taking a critical look at what is currently functioning as my sorry body. Starting from the top, my locks lack the luster they once had. From blonde bombshell to graying granny in no time at all. Proceeding in a southerly direction there's a face full of wrinkles with nasty little pouches resting stubbornly under both eyes. I could fill in the spaces with a variety of so-called concealers but, honestly, it makes me look as if I'm practicing to be viewed at a local funeral home. Lips that were lush as a teenager have shrunk to half their size. (Thank goodness, they can still hold their own in the kiss department!) I've grey hair and wrinkles, A neck like a turkey But now and forever, My boobs will be perky! The less said the better about 89 year old necks. That's why God made turtleneck sweaters. The boobs are the result of reconstructive surgery after breast cancer. They are worth over $10,000 so they damn well better stay in an upright position – though I never did get a written guarantee. My arms are mostly a collection of bruises caused by blood thinners intended to prolong my life by two weeks. At the end of each arm are two pretty ugly hands. I received a lovely ring for my birthday and it gave me pause to examine that pair of somewhat gnarled attachments. Blue veins run rampant from fingers to wrists and my fingers are the only part of my body that lose weight when I cut down on carbs. Thighs/legs which at one time actually got me a modeling job in high school now look like something you might find in a second-hand store selling used mannequins …..worn, marred, and often mistaken for patterned stockings. Somewhere in the middle of each leg are two very spiteful knees. Sometimes they hurt from assorted age-related maladies. They have each received more shots than there are at pistol practice at the men's prison. However, at this writing ,I am grateful they allow me to walk several miles a day. My feet, too, have had their share of shots and surgeries. They live in my New Balance sneakers which I only remove for weddings and funerals. I haven't mentioned back and buttocks and that's just as well. Be glad for the omission. So you see that I am not a threat to Kim Kardashian. But it is what it is – I'm trying to view the glass as half full. And if the glass happens to be full of Dewar's Scotch, I look better all the time. I was blessed with, by the randomness of birth, a wonderful Mom. She encouraged me in many ways, especially anything art-related, and I spent hours at Mom's side batiking, tie-dying, painting and drawing. When I began school full-day, Mom went to graduate school and got her Masters in Psychology. Occasionally, lacking a baby sitter, she'd take me to her night classes –fascinating! From those classes I learned that people are multi-faceted. I never looked at my fellow grammar school classmates the same way again. Mom made a 40+ year career of counseling the drug and alcohol addicted, and the mentally ill. For that, (and all of you out there who are in the same line of work) I give her a huge amount of credit. Mom once told me that the recidivism rate for those who are recovering from addiction is about 9 out of 10 – in other words, about 90% of recovering addicts will return to drugs and alcohol. That percentage is chilling. I asked her how, with those terrible odds, does she do it, to which she replied "I do it for the one (person who stays drug-free)." In her last job before finally retiring, she had to make sure her patients were getting to their doctor's appointments, taking their prescribed medications, eating, etc. Some of them were homeless, and Mom actually had to take to the streets and track them down. Some were in-and-out-of jail, and she had to go visit them there. Her job regularly took her to neighborhoods that I would be very nervous to go into... and she was 78 years old at the time. About a year and a half ago, I got the call that you never want to receive. It was my Stepfather, saying, "I hate to tell you this, but your Mother's been in a terrible accident..." Like a punch in the gut, the news brought me to my knees. With, among other things, a broken neck, Mom spent a week in the ICU, two weeks in physical rehab, and lived with a neck brace for many months. Then, and only then, did she decide to retire. Mom, I love you so much–we are so blessed that you survived and are still with us. I'd like to say "Happy Mother's Day" to not only my Mom, but also to some of the women my Mom calls my "Other Mothers". My Mother-in-law- -the real Mrs. Flynn–who has been like a second Mother to me for the past 26 years, my Stepmother Pat, who is such a sweet and fantastic addition to our family, and to Ruth, who makes me laugh and is my daily inspiration. A combination of these four women is whom I aspire to be someday. As Clinton Township's (self-appointed) Spokes-Mom, I'd like to say to all of the kids out there: Please – study hard, work hard and make good choices. We Moms are raising all of you, not just our own offspring – and it's an honor. You have an incredible future ahead of you – we know you'll make us proud. Sincerely, the Moms of Clinton Township. Happy Mothers' Day! – Julie Fl�nn "My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her." ~ George Washington Jie Fly, Edit Since 1982

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