THE WISDOM OF AGE

I always had a problem relating to my grandfather. I never knew if he was angry, happy, or what his deal was. The fact is that as he got older he seemed to lose emotion, or the ability to express it. I would often times call him only to feel like I had pretty much wasted my time. As I grew and matured I realized that my grandfather was not really an asshole, he was just a wise old man. It's amazing how when you measure a wise ass to an old wise man there is a huge difference.

My grandfather had a quick sharp mind and was always on his toes. The one thing my grandfather held on to was his mind. I realized that, although he was never my idol, my grandfather knew that with the passage of time there was one weapon that could only improve, his mind. I understand that with age comes wisdom.

I rarely ever see an elderly individual that doesn't use his or her experience to a breathtaking advantage in life. We lose our legs, our muscular capacity, we even lose our looks, and yet it's impossible to lose our minds if we chose it as such. Yes we diminish capacity with age but the mind seems to get stronger in some respects. I will never really be a fan of my mom's father, my grandfather, but I will always respect him for the one lesson he taught me. With our age comes our greatest wisdom, should we accept it.

THE NEW GEORGE BURNS IS: BETTY WHITE!

Every decade there is a comedian that stands out because he or she manages to beat the clock through laughter. The cool elder statesman of the 1970's was Jack Benny and after him came George Burns. Burns rejuvenated his career in the 1970's after his performance in The Sunshine Boys which garnered him an Academy Award and a legion of new followers that saw him move on to performances in Oh God among other films as well as as the release of a country album. I think that the long lasting nature of these comedians is due to their ability to make people laugh.

The new elder of comedy is Betty White, whose double entendres and grand dame demeanor make her one of America's treasures. What's amazing about how these comedians get to that point is the fact that they creep up like cotton headed ninjas full of energy and youth. Slowly but surely these comedians show why they stand the test of time. Betty White makes up material using current trends like Facebook and vaginas. You have to admire someone that at 91 years of age can make a younger generation crave her work.

Lasting long and staying fresh is a testament to the healing power of laughter but it goes deeper than that. People like Betty White have a quality that draws others, it's the humor and the subtle nature of its delivery. I think it's only proper to say thank you to Betty White as well as her predecessors because without them the world would be a rather dreary place and we would not have certain beacons that remind us of the fact that aging is only a physical necessity.