Ray's Daily

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

Because of some of my activities I often get a chance to talk with folks one on one. Many times our relationship evolves to the point where they share their concerns and much too often I learn that they are lonesome. As the years go by many close friends have moved on, children move away, job change or retirement has broken the link they had with workplace friends and now their neighbors are mostly strangers. It is really hard when our existence is contained in isolated silos. We all need others with whom we can share confidences, who help us when needed and who share in our experiences.

It used to be that it was primarily the elders who felt the pain of separation but the disease now seems to be spreading to members of broken families, friendless children and others, many families never even eat together anymore. So my friends I think you and I should do all we can to offer our friendship to others whenever we can. But I must warn you that when you do you will often find that your new friendship is even a bigger benefit to yourself than it is to the other party.

Since most of the readers of the Daily are not close enough for us to bond I have copied some tips from eHow on how seniors can find new friends. Don’t tell anyone but you don’t have to wait until you are older, there is no better time to build friendships than now.

How to Make Friends as a Senior Citizen

1 Look for friends to shop with. Ask neighbors or former coworkers to attend concerts or plays with you or to join you for a meal.

2 Reach out to people in your community by offering to speak at community centers, volunteering at schools or giving your time to non-profit organizations. As a senior citizen, you have a wealth of knowledge to share, and these opportunities provide you the chance to develop friendships with those with whom you interact.

3 Make a list of the activities you enjoy and those new ones you would like to try. Research the availability of these activities in your town and set up a schedule to participate in as many of these activities as you can. Organized activities provide excellent opportunities to meet new friends.

4 Visit a gym or a community center that has workout facilities so you can get in shape and improve your health. Staying active alongside other seniors allows you to have fun while working out.

5 Join a book club. Inquire about them at your local library and then attend the meetings regularly. By sharing your views on books and authors, you will have the opportunity to meet new friends who love reading as much as you do.

6 Go to your neighborhood senior citizens center and research the activities and trips offered by the facility. Consider broadening your knowledge of the world by sitting in on college lectures. Other senior citizens are likely doing the same and you can establish friendships with them.

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“While everybody else shakes my hand, you hold it.”

Nick Zeigler

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More signs in our time:

Veterinarians Waiting Room:     Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!

The Electric Company:           We would be delighted if you send in your bill. However, if you don’t, you will be.

Beauty Shop:                    Dye now!

Garbage Truck:                  We’ve got what it takes to take what you’ve got.

Diner Window:                   Don’t stand there and be hungry, come in and get fed up.

Bowling Alley:                  Please be quiet. We need to hear a pin drop.

Cafeteria:                      Shoes are required to eat in the cafeteria. Socks can eat any place they want.

Funeral Home:                   Drive carefully, we’ll wait.

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Our national flower is the concrete cloverleaf.

Lewis Mumford

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A customer was continually bothering the waiter in a restaurant; first, he’d asked that the air conditioning be turned up because he was too hot, then he asked it be turned down cause he was too cold, and so on for about half an hour.

Surprisingly, the waiter was very patient, walking back and forth and never once getting angry. So finally, a second customer asked why didn’t they just throw out the pest.

“Oh I don’t care.” said the waiter with a smile. “We don’t even have an air conditioner.”

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The trouble with alarm clocks is that they always go off when you’re asleep.

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“An abstract noun,” the teacher said, “is something you can think of, but you can’t touch it. Can you give me an example of one?”

“Sure,” a teenage boy replied. “My father’s new car.”

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When I’m good, I’m very, very good, but when I’m bad, I’m better!

Mae West

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My six-year-old grandson called his mother from his friend Charlie’s house and confessed he had broken a lamp when he threw a football in their living room.

“But, Mom,” he said, brightening, “you don’t have to worry about buying another one. Charlie’s mother said it was irreplaceable.”

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“The Swiss have an interesting army. Five hundred years without a war. Pretty impressive. Also pretty lucky for them. Ever see that little Swiss Army knife they have to fight with?

Not much of a weapon there. Corkscrews. Bottle openers. ‘Come on, buddy, let’s go. You get past me, the guy in back of me, he’s got a spoon. Back off. I’ve got the toe clippers right here.'”

Jerry Seinfeld

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“Sometimes in life, you find a special friend. Someone who changes your life just by being a part of it. Someone who makes you laugh until you can’t stop. Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world. Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it. This is forever friendship. When you’re down and the world seems dark and empty, your forever friend lifts you up in spirit and makes that dark and empty world suddenly seem bright and full. Your forever friend gets you through the hard times, the sad times and the confused times. If you turn and walk away, your forever friend follows. If you lose your way, your forever friend guides you and cheers you on. Your forever friend holds your hand and tells you that everything is going to be okay. And if you find such a friend, you feel happy and complete because you need not worry. You have a forever friend, and forever has no end.”

Unknown

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Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

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