Life After 90: What I am Doing Now

Blog 69

Life After 90: What I am Doing Now

By

Alene Kate Stewart McCorkle

(This is the third in a series of articles written by Mrs. McCorkle

 as promised in blog 67 which you should read first for background.)

If one lives to reach 75 or 80 years of age, his/her life is not exciting as it once was. One finds him/herself sitting at home more; missing friends who have gone the way of all the earth; trying to remember if they were going upstairs or coming down; what they went into the room to get and many other odd things. Then, some find themselves giving up their homes and living with their children; living in Assistant Living quarters; in nursing homes and some on the streets.

One thing is true, if one does not suffer from Dementia or Alzheimers, one will constantly think of one’s past life. One remembers little or big things which happened to oneself or things which one did. They all made us feel the need for a closer relationship with God. I wonder why. Perhaps, it is an awareness to the fact, that one’s days are numbered and soon after, called to a reward.

At my age of ninety-two, [now 96] , I have done some serious thinking about the past. I have come to realize that GOD has performed many MIRACLES in my life. The first was the blessing of my parents to birth another baby girl after losing the first one early in a tragic accident soon after their marriage. The second one was the unique and odd position of enrolling into grade school at age five without name and not being counted until enrollment in the second grade. The third miracle happened when I was in the fifth grade at Myers Street School. I fell from the second floor onto concrete, knocked unconsciously, but suffered no broken bones, nor ribs, and returned to school the next day.

At age eleven, the fourth miracle occurred. I was able to play the Church’s organ and help the choir. Here is the irony of it all, most of my musical education was giving to me by my father who never had a musical lesson.

Graduating from high school at age fifteen was the fifth miracle, while the sixth one was the giving of a scholarship for college by a principal who did not know me nor had ever seen me. The college was NC College at Durham for Negroes. The seventh miracle was the revelation of a cousin who learned of my plight, gave me room and boarding in her home, gave me funds and clothing the first year I was in school, now North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC.

The eighth one was my writing to two loan companies asking them for special consideration, telling them that I would make payments on my parents’ home loans after I finished college and secured a job. To my knowledge, no payment was made for the four years I was in college. After the completion of four years training and got my first job at Second Ward teaching, I paid off both loans. I urged my parents to deed the lots to my brothers who were interested in the property and who promised to repay me a portion of the loans I had assumed.

The ninth miracle was when I asked God for guidance at a time I was about to set my niece’s house afire. The tenth one was when I got stuck in an elevator in Puerto Rico and was rescued. The eleventh and final miracle was when I found myself driving a car in Puerto Rico during election time, not knowing where I was, neither knowing how to get back from whence I came. Heavy and crowed were the streets, but was rescued.

I do not remember all of the miracles I had, but there were many. If you sit and recall, you will remember ones you had long ago. Three score-year and ten have passed us all. (One score year is twenty) Be thankful.

This is my fourth article which I promised to write. Now, I can continue the thought pattern on what keeps me going at the ripe old age of 92. Please know that I engage in mental gymnastics and so must you. I play euchre, hearts, spades and solitaire on the computer. I crochet, play single and double pin chic, cook, clean, attend Sunday School and Church, pick and preserve what comes in my daughter’s and husband’s garden. In fact, I do as I please. My family is extremely kind to me.

One of the biggest things I do is the cultivation of my spiritual life. I pray not only for myself but for others. (That is called intercessory prayer.) I not only beseech God but I constantly praise HIM and give thanks. I pray and give thanks for the class of ’47 and ask His blessings upon all of your needs and more.

I love all of you even though you are grown now, I always did. I still call you my children. Be good to yourselves in your old age; keep holding your heads high; encourage those about you to do the same; pass along words of encouragement and love. May the God of Peace bless and be with you all. A-men.

(THIS A GREAT ARTICLE! WHAT MORE NEEDS TO BE SAID?)

The following are scenes from the 96^th birthday luncheon

Pictures by William C. Youngblood