Story by Mary Emma Allen
When people met my dad, the year before his death, they’d often remark, “I’d never guess he was 92-years old.”
No, Father didn’t seem to be nine decades old. His mind was extremely alert; he was up to date on current events; and he was involved in managing his finances and real estate dealings, even though he’d had to slow down physically.
Plans for the Future
He had plans for the future development of the land he owned. He was constantly developing new dreams and goals for his life and the property and kept Mother, who was 80, busy writing letters as he searched out new ventures.
He still took an interest in town politics, and frequently younger people came to him for advice because he had been actively involved in town affairs for many years.
At that age, he still enjoyed traveling and delighted in jaunts to from his New York home to New Hampshire to spend a few days at our home in the woods. He also visited one of his sons in central New York.
Why So Young?
What kept Father young in thought and spirit?
I came to the conclusion it was because he was a “dreamer” who put those dreams into reality. He always had some plans underway to keep his mind active, to keep him meeting people, to make him forget physical discomforts, to help him overcome temporary disappointments.
Dreamer & Doer
As I look back, I realize Father always was a dreamer; but he also was a “doer.” And Mother was involved in many of his achievements, too, thus enabling him to carry out those dreams and plans.
Father was able to go through school only as far as the eighth grade in the early 1900s. But beginning as a dairy farmer, who also worked in the woodlots in his youth, Father gradually acquired three farms, established an apple orchard, then started on commercial building ventures.
He also was civic minded and contributed many years to town and county politics.
Are You a Dreamer?
Are you a dreamer? Do you have plans and goals to keep you young?
Our country was founded by dreamers, and many of our most productive dreamer/doers live in its rural areas contributing to their local communities to help make this land great.
Inspiring Future Generations
Do you have dreams and goals to move your life forward, to keep you from stagnating, and to give your children and grandchildren inspiration?
Father’s accomplishments have helped to encourage me to have dreams and goals. And years ago, he encouraged me to take a journalism course which led to a newspaper career. Then he called my attention to a course in writing for children. From this I became a published writer of children’s stories.
Never Too Old
You’re never too old to dream, to set your world on fire. Enrich your life, as Father did his and that of others, by finding a continual succession of dreams which keep you reaching out and achieving your goals.
