Lula’s walk had a slight hitch in it as she entered her 10th decade. That wasn’t really all that surprising though after traipsing around for 106 years on this earth. Things do have a tendency to wear out over time. My great Aunt Lula could navigate her way around our small rural town, population 1,300, better than some half her age. She never took the time to get a driver’s license back in the 1800’s and saw no reason when the 1900’s came around to entertain the idea then either. So, she walked wherever she needed to go. She walked and walked and walked! For over a century she padded around our little town.

Her blue veins rode high on her alabaster skin. Like strong, weathered ropes, they meandered and forked over her lean, tanned forearms and over the back of her hands to give her an ancient appearance. Angry, purplish-blue blotches, like an stormy sky, discernible on both forearms betrayed her age. Her body had seen many years, many decades go by and it had served her well but now was wearing out. She was old…very old, yet still possessed a steel like strength in her grip. Her 4’ 11” slight frame was diminutive while inside her heart and soul roared like the burgeoning mouth of a young river. (more…)