How this little girl changed my perspective on aging.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205753)
Walnut Creek, California
January 28, 2023 11:58am CST
Growing older isn't fun. My back hurts. I have to wear glasses to read. In softball, I can't hit for power like I used to.
I think the little girl in this photo may become a Rabbi when she grows up. She is very serious, and a delight to talk to.
She and I were very much attached when I worked at the Jewish preschool in Berkeley. We would sit around and have philosophical discussions.
When she was three or four, she said, "I love this" and grabbed my "wattle." My wattle is the flap of skin that hangs down beneath my chin.
I have a smooth face for an old guy. My sagging skin all descends to my wattle.
Once I told her that my flap of skin is called a "wattle," she added, " I want to marry your wattle."
I said, "If you married my wattle, you'd have to marry all of me. My wattle in a bottle on your dresser would be kind of gross."
A week or two later, the little girl's mother said to me, "Chanah wants to marry your wattle. What's a wattle?" I think she was worried.
I showed her my wattle. Chanah was there. Chanah said, "My mommy has a little wattle, but yours is the best."
Her mommy and I looked at each other, deadpan.
My interactions with Chanah taught me that beauty really is subjective.
I am sometimes "ashamed" of being old. I would like to have my 27-year-old body back, accompanied by the wisdom of an 80-year-old.
Chanah taught me that there is beauty in being older, even if she doesn't yet know the word "metaphor." I am forever thankful to her for that.
20 people like this
20 responses
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
28 Jan 23
I'm getting a bit of a "waffle" myself.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Jan 23
@spiderdust I do. But I will not pour it on your wattle.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
28 Jan 23
@TheHorse I think I've made myself hungry too. I wonder if I have maple syrup in the pantry...
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
29 Jan 23
I'd like my 30-something body back... heck... even my 60 year old body worked better than this my (almost) 70 year old one.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
29 Jan 23
@TheHorse Cycling definitely counts as exercise. I wish I could still do it, but with my balance being off, I'd probably fall as soon as I got out of the gate.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Jan 23
@BarBaraPrz Got it. Is there anything you can do for balance issues?
2 people like this
@kaylachan (57655)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Jan 23
Sometimes kids are smarter than you give them credit for. Their insites on life are priceless.
2 people like this
@kaylachan (57655)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Jan 23
@TheHorse I do too, Or I did when I was around kids.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jan 23
@kaylachan They speak the truth.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (62131)
• United States
28 Jan 23
If it looks like a duck and wattles like a duck….
That is a sweet story.
That is a sweet story.2 people like this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jan 23
@popciclecold Turkeys are like cows. They make me smile.
2 people like this
@aninditasen (15742)
• Raurkela, India
29 Jan 23
I still don't have that wattle under my chin. My skin is still tight, though I am old. Good your little friend taught you how to accept aging.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (156157)
• United States
29 Jan 23
I think just when you think that you can't learn something new, the littles teach you something else.
2 people like this
@arunima25 (85305)
• Bangalore, India
29 Jan 23
That's a lovely story. Thank you for sharing it. Children are greatest teachers. They convey such deep thinking with so much simplicity.
2 people like this
@florelway (23134)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
28 Jan 23
What a smart cute girl. Is she the girlfriend you mentioned? At 61 I still have fine skin but I see some small warts which I will now call wattle lol.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Jan 23
@florelway My most recent "girlfriend" is 9-months-old.
1 person likes this
@florelway (23134)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
29 Jan 23
@TheHorse I just thought it's her.
.2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (28511)
•
28 Jan 23
We can learn so much from children.
One of my grandsons was struggling a bit with some 5th grade math. His Dad (my son) tried to help him with it, and so did his Mom and the teacher. I think it just frustrated him, he is a straight A student and a smart fellow. Anyway, the teacher was planning speakers for a parent/grandparent day for the kids. My grandson asked if I could be one of the speakers! Me?? (I didn't hear about this until later) The teacher asked, what is her specialty, what would your Grandma talk about? And grandson said, she is the smartest person I know. She can do so much. When something is wrong, or we can't figure something out, we ask my Grandma. If she doesn't know the answer, she finds someone who does. And she has sense, and she would know this math stuff is just really dumb and silly.
Ah, kids, and the faith they can have in us. It often humbles me.
Enjoy that little one and learn from each other. In a world full of stress, let her marry your wattle.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Jan 23
@MarieCoyle Heh. I actually love teaching math to kids. I am good at making it fun, not a pain in the neck.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (28511)
•
29 Jan 23
@TheHorse
Good one, Pony.
Yes, they had me speak, twice. I took a few notes and didn't really use them. I told the kids who I was, about my family and all of my working years, and asked for questions. I was also told by pretty much every kid that they absolutely hated math, and could I please tell the teacher how dumb it was? Well, I explained that all out to my best ability, and then they wanted to know if I could be the substitute teacher when the teacher leaves to have her baby.... best compliment I have had in a long time! It was so much fun. One little fellow wanted my phone number! I told him I wasn't allowed to do that, but I have a feeling he will just use my grandson's phone and call me, as they are friends.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
29 Jan 23
What a lovely story and experience!!
2 people like this
@popciclecold (35103)
• United States
28 Jan 23
Aww, Now that is so precious. You will never forget that.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205753)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jan 23
@popciclecold I hope she remembers at some level as well.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Jan 23
Glad she is such a smart little girl and made you feel better. I think the Lord every day for my health and if I do not look in the mirror I forget all about how time has flown I only get a little startled when I look in the mirror 
but as long as I still recognize it's me I am all right with that,
but as long as I still recognize it's me I am all right with that,2 people like this
@yoalldudes (35040)
• Philippines
28 Jan 23
Such a cute story, made me laugh. When we are happy, we are youthful. Society is what makes us hate ourselves for almost everything.
2 people like this
