NOT in the slow lane YET Blog
The blog is about living life after 70 with joy, resilience, and purpose. NOT in the slow lane, YET is a source of positive, helpful advice encouraging people to set and achieve goals and find joy in life. The blog will cover personal experiences and thoughts and concerns. Topics of blogs will be health, retirement, fashion, travel, and living in continuing care retirement communities. The blogs will be short and appear at least once a month on my website www.nadineblock.com or by email if you choose. Come walk with me.
Reflections on Gratitude
I almost met my Maker on Thursday evening (2-13-25), coming home from the Columbus Jazz Orchestra performance in our senior community van driven by Tony, a gregarious and kind 56-year-old driver. There were thirteen people in the van: eleven residents and two guests. One of the guests is a former neighbor and a retired physician. She usually picks me up, but I asked her to be my guest for dinner and ride the van.
It was a ride we will not forget.
The performance ended at 8:30 pm. Going north on 4th Street, one of the busiest streets downtown, the driver suddenly made strange guttural sounds, and the bus blew through a stop light. Residents were yelling, “What’s wrong, Tony?” Cars began swerving to miss us.
The son of one of the residents ran up to the driver, grabbed the wheel, and swerved it into Rich Street, a side street. Passengers yelled, “Shut off the ignition!” We slowed to a stop halfway down the street. Someone called 911. The physician proceeded to deal with the driver. There was not much she could do. He was a big man crammed behind the wheel. She pulled his chin up to create an airway and took his pulse. The Squad from one of the busiest stations in the state arrived in about five minutes, opened the door, which seemed stuck, and laid him on the sidewalk. They administered resuscitation for about ten minutes. He never made a move. They moved him to the EMT truck.
My guest and I watched it and said to one another, “He is dead.”
Our facility management sent a driver to take us home. We pulled away from the curb, looking back at Tony’s black knit hat lying forlornly on the sidewalk. I whispered, “God bless you on your journey, dear man.”
I woke up in the morning and asked why I had not done something to help. I was calm or stunned; I am not sure which. My reptilian brain said I shouldn’t remove my seat belt and try to help stop the bus. Due to my age and poor balance, I could easily fall on a swerving bus. I forgave myself. Today, we found out he was dead…likely before the squad came. We were thankful to be alive.
This horrible event reminded me to be thankful for the small, simple things in life: waking up without pain, having a warm breakfast, having excellent people to socialize with, and having caring people who work here so that we might have a comfortable life. Focusing on what we are grateful for helps reduce stress and gets us off to a good start for the day. On my morning walk, I try to think of three things I am grateful for. Even short thoughts of thankfulness put us in a good mood. We used to call it “counting our blessings.” It is an excellent way to start the day.
On my daily morning walk, an aide pushing a breakfast cart smiled at me and said, “You are beautiful.” What a kind, affirming comment! I said, “Thank you. You are a beautiful person.”
Gratitude keeps on giving.