AGES & STAGES
by Mocco Wollert
RECENTLY, I was going to introduce my friend Annette to an acquaintance when my mind went blank and I could not remember her name. This woman who I have known for more than 60 years, the woman who is my best friend. For the life of me, I could not remember her first name. I mumbled something, totally embarrassed, when my friend stepped in and said, “my name is Annette”. We all laughed and assured each other that forgetfulness was part of our lives. If you came into my office, you would see that my desk is covered in yellow post-its, each one reminding me of something I have to do or the name of someone I have to call. I also have a large paper desk diary because I don’t trust myself with putting things into my phone to remind me of things to do – because I forget to look at my phone. On my kitchen bench is a small
jotter block with a pencil so I can write down immediately any food I need to buy. Have you ruined a pot or pan by leaving them on the stove too long? I have, a few! When I put something on the hotplate to boil, I have the tendency to walk away just for a minute. Then, I become engrossed in whatever I am doing and that boiling saucepan has gone completely out of my mind. So far, I have been lucky, no fire in the kitchen. Now I have trained myself to set my kitchen timer whenever anything is on the stove. One of the worst occasions of forgetfulness was when two couples turned up at my door for a small dinner party. I couldn’t have – surely, I couldn’t have, put the wrong date into my desk diary – or could I? I had not set a dinner table, I had not cooked a meal, had not prepared pre-dinner nibbles but thank God we had a couple of bottles of wine in the fridge. We made a night of it by calling in pizzas and I did not lose them as friends. I do crosswords, I play scrabble, I read, I write this column every month and lots of poetry and short stories in-between. I torture my body in the gym to be physically strong and mentally alert so you would think that my brain gets exercised enough to stay alert. Obviously not. I often wonder why we become forgetful. Is it a natural progression, a natural part of our deterioration as we age? Or is it all those wonderful glasses of wine I have enjoyed in my life, the cocktails that turned an evening into a fairy tale? If so, I feel it was worth it. There is one thing about forgetfulness which is good: when our brain eliminates bad experiences from our memory which we had in the past; when memories of hurt and hardship experienced during our life become indistinct or fade away altogether. May you remember good things and forget the bad.
by Cheryl Lockwood
IT’S amazing how many thoughts you have when you are airborne. Admittedly, my feet were barely 30cm off of the ground, but that was enough time to think about an appropriate landing. I went with a land and roll. The alternative was a sprawl on to the concrete and possible gravel rash. Perhaps the landing technique was learned from my one and only parachute jump. As a 22-year-old, I agreed to this activity after a few drinks at the pub. It was the 1980s and apparently acceptable to jump solo from a plane after only a weekend of training. Obviously, my mates and I survived. Recently, I was out on one of my shuffle/jogs when a young dog ran up to me. I was in a dog off-leash area and happy to greet friendly canines. Unfortunately, in his enthusiasm, the dog ended up under my feet, sending me through the air towards the unforgiving path. The fall was anything but graceful. The dog was excited that I was now sitting on the ground and thought that the full tail-wagging, face-licking treatment was needed. With a mortified look, the dog’s owner offered countless apologies and helped me up. Luckily, I was unhurt and
found it funny. I felt bad when the hapless pup was promptly put back on his lead. He had been having a great time until I came along. It got me thinking about “taking falls” – under 50, we trip or stumble; over 50, we take a fall. “What happened?” they ask. “She took a fall.” This is met with a knowing nod. As if they’d said, “she took a holiday.” We don’t need to leave home to become a victim. My Mum recently tripped over the vacuum cleaner. “Oh no,” I exclaimed, “What did you hit?” “Just the carpet.” I had meant what body part. She said, “just my head”. Fortunately, she was fine, but many older people suffer injuries, from a bit of bruising to broken bones. According to the Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society, 30 per cent of people over 65 fall over once a year. Interesting. Not just the statistic, but the fact that such a society exists. There are even classes for older people on preventing falls. I doubt I’m ready for that class, but I hope not to “take a fall” in the future. I prefer to take baths and naps. Sometimes at the same time. Take care and stay upright!
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1300 899 222 | mckenzieacg.com 16 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / August 2021
16.indd 2
Sunshine Coast
28/07/2021 2:39:00 PM
