Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new lands but seeing with new eyes.” This is particularly meaningful to me after having the amazing experience of watching my Mom turn 100 this summer.
You have heard me talk about my Mom before. I wrote about her when, at 98 years old, she asked for a job at the assisted living where she lives because she “had time to be helpful.” I wrote about her when she broke her hip at 99 year old and was the star of the physical therapy class to regain her mobility and independence. And I am writing about her again as she turned 100, smiling all the way, and donning a tiara at her celebration.
Most of all, I am writing about her evolution as a human being, at 100 years old. My Mom is not afraid to be herself, to put aside stale notions and to do what makes her happy. Maybe that is why I started Best Friends at the Bar. Because I learned it from Mom.
Case in point. My Mom was serenaded by one of her favorite Elvis impersonators as part of the celebration of her 100th birthday. The various Elvises come to the assisted living to entertain the residents, and Mom is discriminating. She knows what she likes. This “Elvis” came down from the stage to sing to her from her first-row perch, and he held her hand and gazed into her adoring eyes. It was such a sight to behold that the agent for “Elvis” came to my Mom’s birthday party to tell everyone how there was not a dry eye in the audience that night as “Elvis” sang Blue Hawaii to my Mom. She was reluctant to let go of his hand at the end when he gave her a lovely kiss, and you can imagine why. 100-year-olds do not get enough kisses these days.
This is what Proust has to do with my Mom. She was like so many parents during the age of Elvis Presley — the ones who did not approve of the hip gyrations and the presumed adverse effects on their impressionable teens and pre-teens. When Elvis and Ursulla Andress starred in Fun in Alcapulco, Mom and her cohorts were not in favor of the drive-in theater for their broods! Elvis and the Beatles had the likes of Mom stymied and concerned.
But, Mom now looks at Elvis differently, and in a Proust-like way, she is seeing the world through new eyes. She has embraced Elvis because he makes her smile, he lightens her load, and he makes her heart sing. Quite simply, he makes her happy, and she wants to be happy. Mom is now a true blue Elvis admirer.
Be like Mom. Put aside the expectations of others, do what makes you happy and see the world through new eyes. Have a personal definition of success and fashion a career that works for YOU. Like Mom, you will find it puts a bounce in your step, and, if you do it right, you will never look back with regret.
You should have seen Mom clapping her hands to”Blue Suede Shoes” and “You Ain’t Nothing But a Hound Dog.” Mom, the grammarian, has changed her stripes!
