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While celebrating our summer weekends, and in the spirit of our global collaboration and community of support, we are featuring our personal art as 'Vision to Verb' notecards. 


Our hope is that they'll inspire you to join with us in our support of KIVA - empowering people around the world with start-up business loans.

Passing the Baton

For starters, I’ll shoot the first person who says it’s only a number.

Not that you knew I was speaking of age (again), of course, but remember the first time you wrapped your head around centuries and discovered they were always ahead of what you expected?  The 20^th century, for instance, was always about the 1900s.  The 21^st century is about now.  It still doesn’t sound right.

Switch to decades and it gets weird[er]. 

When you live till your 11^th decade, you’re called a centenarian.  Did you know if you live to be 110 (your 12^th decade) you’re called a supercentenarian, like Jeralean Talley from Michigan and Misao Okawa from Japan who are both 114!  We all know who an octogenarian is, of course, but do you know what a person in her 90s is called?  Yup, a nonagenarian (not to be confused with a persona non grata!).

Now, meet Susan Elizabeth, Nelson Hodges, Virginia Louise, and Nancy Rebecca, a.k.a.  Floosie Soosie, Funny Sonny, Skinny Ginny, and Fancy Nancy (thanks to Dad).  Funny Sunny began his 8^th decade in January last year.  A week ago Floosie Soosie (not to be confused with our V&V Soosie!) followed suit…and two years from now Skinny Ginny will do the same, with Fancy Nancy the following year.

[After Fancy Nancy, we’ll pass on the baton to the next four in the family, but that’s a few years later, with Goofie Ruthie, the last of the eight, in 2026.]

So, what are Funny Sunny and Floosie Soosie called?  Yup, septuagenarians.  Those of us in our 60s are sexagenarians.  You in your 50s are quinquagenarians.  But you knew that.  You in your 40s?  Quadragenarians.  Then the thirty-somethings and the roaring twenties, of course.

BTW, did you know that once upon a time SEPTember, OCTober and NOvember were our 7^th, 8^th and 9^th months!  Blame the Romans for adding July and August for Julius and Augustus Caesar to screw up the system.  But I digress.

I go through this age ritual every June.  Skipping around like a flighty lark!  June is such a happy month for me.  Just when I think I couldn’t possibly get happier, another June comes and I‘m happier.  Does that mean I love growing old[er]?  I hope so.  I think so. 

However, the closer I get to my 8th decade, I admit that I pause.  It seriously does sound weird[er].   This never happened to me when I showed up for the 5^th, 6^th and 7th.  The 8^th is the part that doesn’t sound right because…it’s not like I’m going to be 80, you know!

Don’t you love how the elders are looking so tenderly and lovingly at the youngers, like they already know something very wise and are eager and willing to pass on the baton.  “DON’T BE FRIGHTENED,” I can hear them say. 

And did you notice none of us is older than 200 years (a Methuselagenarian?).  Nor are we teenagers anymore! 

So what do we have to lose, especially in June with our swimsuits on!  Grab yours and let’s go swimming.  Don’t worry.  Be happy.  Numbers are so screwed up anyway!

Do not deprive me of my age.  I have earned it.
--May Sarton