This past weekend I was privileged to meet an extraordinary couple who attend The Rock Church in Sunnyvale, California. They are proof that age is just a number and that wellbeing can be achieved no matter your date of birth. I did not get their first names so I’ll refer to them as the people there refer to them…..Momma and Papa Leaman. He is a spry 90-year old gentleman and she is an energetic 85-year old lady.
There are several choices they make that enable them to live such full lives.
1. They recognize the importance of moving their bodies. They attend their local health club three mornings a week and walk for 45 minutes and participate in an aqua fitness class. Because of the ladies conference this past weekend, they were not able participate in their typical Friday morning fitness routine, and Papa Leaman was disappointed that they had to miss.
2. They are active members in their church. They attend services and special events that their local church sponsors. They help when they can and where they can – they know that they are a part of a community and you can see how the other members of the congregation interact with them and let them know that they are loved, honored, and appreciated. I was there this past February for a dinner at the church and they were both in the kitchen helping out….and Momma Leaman is quite the chef. She helps with the food when she is able.
3. They are madly in love with each other. They have been married 66 years and she refers to him as her “latin lover” 🙂 (He is Italian and Spanish.) Upon meeting him, he will proudly pull out a picture from his wallet to show you–it’s a little worn and faded but the beauty of the young lady is breathtaking. It is one of the first pictures she gave to her sweetheart. As I watched them talking to other members of the congregation, I saw that they still like to hold hands.
4. Travel and adventure is still vital in their lives – they don’t leave that for the young people. The last few years they’ve went with family members to Hawaii for one month to vacation. Then last year, they decided to take a cruise all by themselves without any family members. They refuse to let fear of the unknown keep them in their comfort zones.
5. They realize they have talents and abilities to share with others and realize that hanging out with children can put some energy, fun, and laughter into your day. She has a workshop behind their garage and once a week she has girls of all ages come to her workshop and she teaches them to knit, embroider, sew, and crochet. Many of these young girls will make Christmas gifts for their family members during these weekly lessons – the week before Christmas, she has wrapping paper for them and they prepare their gifts. Then they go into the kitchen and she all the ingredients ready for homemade gingerbread men. They decorate their cookies and then clean up the mess before she takes them out for lunch. I told her I wished I live there so I could go over her house once a week 🙂
6. They refuse to allow health issues to run their lives and they make whatever changes they need to in order to keep disease from diminishing their quality of life. When he was diagnosed with diabetes, they went to informative sessions for two weeks to learn everything they could do to help the symptoms from escalating. They made lifestyle changes and it’s working….he is only has to take one pill a day. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and she did her research and made her choices and is cancer free. At age 85, she is only on two prescription meds per day.
This couple radiates warmth, love, and well-being. I wish all of you could meet them because I know they would inspire you as much as they inspired me! Momma and Papa Leaman, I want to be like you when I grow up!
Angela Prather 