Interview Poem

It is not a detriment to be old,
     It's a blessing.
Someone asked me once,
     how do you get to be an old timer?
And I said,
     you just have to live long enough,
but every day is a challenge,
     and if you meet it with a smile on your face,
it's to your advantage.
     So I try to present a smiling face to the world,
and perhaps that's why I've lived a long time.

I think it's good for older people to have an outlet.
The world is full of older people,
     and they're not getting any younger.
And if you don't come
     to something like the senior center,
you're apt to stay in the house
     and I don't think it's a good idea.
Maybe you live alone.
     Maybe you don't knit.
Maybe you don't read.
     There's only so much TV you can watch.
And if you can keep your mind busy
     and do something challenging,
you'll live longer.