Sunday, July 22, 2018

I am inspired by Miss Norma, age 90 who had a year of adventure



I bought this book about a 90 year old lady who sets out on a grand adventure. I had lots of smiles and some tears while reading "Driving Miss Norma: One Family's Journey Saying YES to Life", many of the tears being happy tears. Does anyone else cry when they hear about a beautiful moment?
Now that I am a senior citizen, and have had close family members die in the past few years, I find myself thinking about mortality and this book hit the spot for me. Norma's last year was beautiful and full of good things and experiences.
Miss Norma is 90 and when her doctor gives her a terminal diagnosis she tells him “I am 90, I'm hitting the road”, whereupon she sets out to travel for a year to places she chooses with her son and his wife in their thirty six foot mobile home. 
They have five star adventures everywhere and her final year was filled with fun and things new to them all, including a balloon ride, eating oysters in New Orleans, a zip line ride in North Carolina and riding a horse for the first time at age 90. Instead of a few months of harrowing treatments followed by death Norma had adventures with her loved ones and gained a bit of fame with TV interviews and official welcomes. They visited places she chose including Bar Harbor, Mackinaw City, the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone. It turns out her family had ties to President Ford and they got a personal tour of the USS Gerald R. Ford in the shipyard as it prepared to be launched. Tim and Ramie live in their RV year round and consider Baja California, Mexico, the closest thing to a home, and Norma visited there too.
For a shy lady she truly blossomed and Tim and Ramie were glad they chose to take Norma with them in her year of being 90. And don’t forget their standard poodle Ringo who cherished Norma too. Tim contrasted his mom’s happy final year to the tough final months of his dad who a year earlier chose painful treatment and stayed home.
I bought the hard cover book and enjoyed the many color photographs.The cover is a photo of the real Norma and Ringo.
Hats off to Norma and to Tim and Ramie as they spent a year making many dreams come true. Tim wrote that he got to know his mom in ways he never had before. This journey was a gift for each of them, and I enjoyed it too.
This book reminded me to think about how I spend my day. Am I kind, thoughtful, prayerful, with some fun or adventure sprinkled in? Am I trying new things? That is my aim. Now that I am retired and a widow it is easy to me to get stuck in my comfortable rut, so this book offers a good inspiration for me. How about you? Are you trying new things?

22 comments:

Angela said...

At 58 I may not be quite senior citizen status but almost. I am at the age where you start to really know that no more years are promised. I hope I am making the most of them. This book sounds like a wonderful reminder!

Jennifer said...

I remember hearing about this lady and thinking "Good for her!" What a wonderful alternative to spending her last year undergoing treatments that would have made her miserable and would have likely not extended her life very much. Actually, having fun and enjoying herself probably extended her life MORE than the treatments. And what a great lesson for the rest of us, who may take it for granted that we have plenty of time and put off things we would like to do. No one is promised tomorrow, the time to live is today! :)

The Weaver of Grass said...

I too am retired - and have been for a long time. I try to keep doing new things and going to new places. My husband died eighteen months ago so now I have a group of good friends and we do things together. Nobody will come to you, you have to get out there and find life for yourself.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

I would LOVE this book... Miss Norma has a wonderful attitude. IF I got a terminal diagnosis I would "hit the road" also.... The older I get --the more I think about death ---my death specifically. I may not get a choice about the 'end' of my life. It may come suddenly ---or I may LINGER... IF I did get a choice, I would choose SUDDEN. I do not want to be a burden on my family. I do not want to 'linger' --especially if there is no quality of life left. BUT---it's all in God's hands...

I'll check out that book!!!!

Hugs,
Betsy

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I am definitely getting out more on my own this year. I drove to a Park trailhead to take pics this morning. And I had fun! I like to think I can still go on an adventure when I get in the mood. I know I would enjoy this book!

kath001 said...

I'm so glad to see your review! I've seen the book advertised, but haven't picked it up yet. I just checked the library website, and they don't have it, so I went to amazon and ordered a used hard cover. I'll donate it to the library when I'm done.

Mari said...

I followed her journeys on FB, and thought she was an inspiration!

Stacey said...

Sounds wonderful! I'm pinning this one. :)

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

I had a dear friend who was given a terminal diagnosis at the age of 59. They told her she had “possibly” three months to live and maybe more with some treatment. She decided against that. That three months turned into 15 and she lived every moment doing things that made her happy. She traveled by trains and busses to see people and things that gave her joy, she took a ride on a beautiful balloon, she ate out in lovely restaurants and drank fine, expensive wine, and she attended every festival and event she could. I spent time with her almost every day and she was the most outstanding and inspirational person I have ever met. When she knew her time had come, she invited friends over to say good bye, and after we left, she asked the hospice nurses to help her remove her clothes so she could go out of this world the way she came into it. That was 15 years ago and I still think of her every day.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

What a great story about Miss Norma and the wonderful way she spent her last year.

Very encouraging. I'm 69 and a widow and have been stepping out more to help others, in doing so driving a lot more. Losing my dear husband made me realize just how precious and fleeting this life is.

Thanks for sharing this story.

Love, hugs & prayers ~ FlowerLady

Kathy said...

This sounds like something I would like to read. I'm going to look for it in the library. Thanks for sharing about it. I would hope when the time came I would be just like her.

Anonymous said...

I can think of some people I know who'd enjoy this book!

Marion said...

Sounds like a great book. I'm a homebody and moved often in my youth, so I have fun at home gardening, reading, reviewing, making jewelry to sell for our local domestic violence shelter, crocheting, sewing, making paperclay art dolls, birdwatching, nature photography, coloring, painting, writing my memoir, writing poetry and short stories, posting poetry on my blog, studying world religions, campaigning for our President, and feeding the Hummingbirds, Raccoons, Turtles and assorted wildlife that wanders into my yard. I'm sure I left something out, but suffice it to say I am never bored. Life itself is a grand adventure. xo

Susan Kane said...

What a lady! She chose wisely to spend her last year with adventures.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Susan Kane said...

What a lady!! She chose wisely to live a year of adventure.

Thanks for stopping by my blog site!

only slightly confused said...

So far I'm still enjoying being home and wallowing in my 'rut'. Perhaps at some point I may get adventurous but I'd have to convince the 'other half' to join me.

Anonymous said...

I wouldlove to read this! What an inspiration,

Marion said...

Why didn't you post my comment from yesterday? :-(

Wanda said...

Thanks for sharing the book. How wonderful that she could spend her last year doing so many things she had never done. An at 90. A good reminder, that every day is special and precious...and taking time to LIVE IT, not just exist, Thanks for the nudge...I think I need to plan a road trip. HaHa

Lady Jane said...

I READ THIS BOOK AND IT IS ONE OF MY FAVS!!! Some day I will read it again. Norma was a remarkable lady. I loved all the things she did even though sometimes she was frightened. She was a brave soul. Her son and dil did so many incredible things with her. It was wonderful that they could spend the last of her time with her. Once in a while a story comes along that makes my heart want to sing. hugs, lj

Joyful said...

It sounds like a wonderful book about a wonderful lady and her family. I always try new things. In fact I never have enough time (or funds) to do everything I would like to do. I'm like you are finding your feet. It can take awhile after a huge loss.

Buttercup said...

This look like a terrific read. Thanks for the recommendation. I've been contemplating destiny these days thanks to a biopsy last week. I'm not particularly worried, but it made me think about how I spend my time. While I was sitting in the waiting room I saw an ad for a cruise around the world. I don't necessarily want to spend three months on a cruise ship, but a one month segment to places I've never been is intriguing.