ONE HUNDRED

100 seems like a small number in relation to our national debt of $16,000,000,000,000.
I cannot even imagine a 'Trillion' of anything.
In fact, creating a pile of 100 of anything became daunting to me.

I counted 100 Nasturtiums but realized
that this was not the best way to see 100.

That was the request from my cousin.
 Her mom, my aunt, turned 100 years old on Sept. 15.
That's a HUGE milestone for humans.
So, why not ask everyone to send a picture of 100 of anything.
At the very least, we could send a couple of cards so that she could obtain 100 cards.
That was the easiest task of all since my aunt knows and keeps in touch with well over 100 people in her life.
I imagine she received far more than 100 cards.
Pictures of 100 of anything were also compiled.
There were cheerios, flower petals, stones, marshmallows lined up to look like 100.
Dozens were digitally compiled into a slide show.

I could not wrap my brain around compiling anything except 100 Thank You notes, since my aunt has always been a huge influence in my life.
She took my sister and I under her wing at a very young age and encouraged us to become the best Girl Scouts we could be.

My old badge sash

Girl Scouts also celebrated their 100th birthday this year.
My aunt was a Girl Scout leader for years as she raised her own daughter.  She even earned her Eagle Scout Badge which, when I became old enough to earn it, no longer existed.

One would think giving 100 thanks would be easy.  I am already giving three 'thanksgivings' a day on my other blog: dailygracesfromgod.blogspot.com
After the first couple of pages, I had to think.
My memory became muddled.
As they say, long term memory is easy.
It gets harder to remember the more recent events in our lives.
For sure, I managed to write down 100 thank you notes and place them in a pretty cover.
Off they went to my aunt.
 Of course I added pictures.  That was the most fun.

There she is, responding to her
sister's question in the middle
of her one of her 10 oratories of
 her life story.
  

We also managed to visit my aunt on her big day.
Here she is, standing for ten minutes at a time, telling the story of her life.
This was totally amazing because she did not use her glasses, does not wear hearing aids, uses no cane or walker, and stood by herself without microphone as the rest of us sat in lawn chairs listening over the din of loud music down the block.
She just talked louder and became more animated.
In comparison, her children and nieces and nephews seemed to have more ailments than my aunt!
She was as perky as ever!

10 Balloons were released after my aunt 'released'
stories of every 10 years of her life.

I think she will live another 10 years at least.

My aunt with her GREAT Grand son!
Greg was the 'master of ceremonies'.

She is astute, alert, filled with incredible information, and ever present in dozens of peoples' lives . . . daily.
Reason: the computer.
My aunt has always been on the leading edge of technology.
She has never feared a new invention.
She had an Apple computer before many of us knew what it was.
She now has the latest Apple and a touch-screen PC.
Reason: Although she much prefers Apple, more software is created for the PC.

Aunt Helen took a moment out from the party
to show us her latest work.  AMAZING!

Can you see the two computers?
Latest in computers but notice in the bottom
right corner - an old TV which she rarely watches.

She needs the latest software to continue her genealogy work, which she has done for well over fifty years.




100 years brings more than 100 changes.
My aunt has floated through endless changes and challenges.
Her attitude is positive to a fault and has carried her well into the 21st century.
 To be 100 is a gift.
 My aunt, at 100, is the greatest gift I could ever have.
 I share her with 100s.
Yet, she seems as if she were attentive only to me.

Oh to be 100.
Oh to be attentive and caring and savvy with the latest technology in order to maintain that pastoral care she gives to so many.
Who knows what the next 100 will bring but she is on the 'edge' of a whole new world where the 'average' may be 100.

I linger with thoughts of her and wonder if I will be able to remain attentive to others and savvy with the latest technology so that I can reach beyond my comfort zone.
Hmmmmm, I guess writing this blog is a beginning.
I pray I can be half as giving and caring and attentive as my aunt if, by God's grace, I even reach 100.