A Math Teacher's Makeover
“Do you know why I get my nails done?” the woman sitting next to me asked.
I had never seen her before, and I knew our chat would be short-lived. Still, I was curious about what she had to say. It felt like her question was just the beginning, so I waited for her to continue.
“I’m a high school math teacher,” she said.
She looked to be in her mid-50s, slim, with dark, thick glasses resting on her nose. Honestly, she reminded me of a math teacher I had back in the day.
“Teaching teens these days is really tough,” she went on. “Their attention spans are so short, and some can be pretty rude and disrespectful.”
Even when I was in high school, math teachers weren’t exactly the favorites among students.
“I thought about retiring early to try something new.”
“Oh?” I said, leaning in, curious.
Then Everything Changed
“But instead, I started getting my hair done. And my nails, too.” She showed me her hand, flaunting five perfectly manicured red oval nails. Tiny white stars and stripes, clearly inspired by the upcoming holiday, accented each nail.
“You wouldn’t believe the change it made. Suddenly, my students started treating me with more respect. They became more engaged and responsive. I found joy in teaching again. It felt nothing short of miraculous.”
I’m not sure if it was the teacher’s styled hair and manicured nails or her newfound confidence that made her students act differently. But what I took away from that short encounter is that how we feel about ourselves really impacts all those around us.
“I always dreaded growing old because then you can’t do all of the things you want to. But it isn’t so bad because by then you don’t want to. “
— Lady Astor
You Tell on Yourself
You tell on yourself by the friends you seek
By the manner in which you speak
By the way you employ your leisure time
By the way you make use of your dollar and dime
You tell what you are by the clothes you wear
By the spirit in which your burdens you bear
By the kinds of things at which you laugh
By the records you play on your phonograph
You show what you are by the way you walk
By the subjects of which you like to talk
By the manner in which you bear defeat
By the foods you choose and the way you eat
By the books you select from the library shelf
In these ways and others you tell on yourself
So there is not a bit of common sense
In trying to keep up a false pretense
–Marie Losavio
WARNING
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practise a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
–Tools of the Trade: Poems for new Doctors (Scottish Poetry Library, 2014). Originally written by British Poet Jenny Joseph in 1961
Time is relentless, and its passage affects us all. How we perceive aging—whether as a sorrowful burden or an exciting new chapter—depends entirely on our perspective.
See other posts from my Grandma’s Treasures collection:
Ageless Journies was originally created as a place to share the best of 360 degree videos on YourTube for exploring the world. Grandma’s Treasures is an addition to this website. Feel free to explore the VR Tour Guide page if you are interested in learning more about virtual travel with our without a virtual reality headset.
If you have any thoughts about this poet or would like to share other favorite poems on aging gracefully, please feel free to comment below. Thank You!
