I have a lot of heroes, but the one that ranks right up at the top is my mother. She'll probably snort with laughter when she sees that, but it's true. After all, how many 87-year-olds still work at two different retail stores several times a month, teach piano lessons, walk a half mile or ride a stationary bike most days, drive themselves most places, act as chauffeur to their non-driving friends, serve as an officer in her quilt club, make quilts for their grandchildren, take courses through ILR, sing in the Messiah every year and sing in the church choir?

Seems like a lot to me, or as my daughter puts it, "Grandma has a busier social calendar than I do." So it came as a bit of a surprise when Mother announced recently that she was "retiring" from the church choir. At first, I didn't believe her because she's threatened this before. But when she declared her intentions to the choir director, I began to think she was serious. Her reason was simple enough... she just "doesn't like going out at night anymore...in the dark...cold."

Still, I waited for her to change her mind. Instead, she repeated this to my daughter no. 2, her partner in musical pursuits. Anne returned from an afternoon chat with Grandma, announcing somewhat dubiously that Grandma plans to drop out of choir. For many, this may not seem like a big thing. But you have to understand my mother. She's been singing since the day she was born.

Continue reading at: http://steinermp.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/retiring-mama/