The Old Lady in the Room

UAB Sigma Kappa 2015 Colonization Class
Today was an exciting day.  It was one of those days that you celebrate the joys of youth.  It was the kind of day that old people watch and smile and remember when it was their turn to celebrate and be celebrated.

Today my sorority colonized a new chapter.  Sigma Kappa is now part of the sorority experience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  I am so excited I can't even stand it. The young women in the room were beautiful, smart, enthusiastic and diverse.  A colonization class is special.  They are the trailblazers.  They will set the tone of the UAB chapter for years to come.  If what I saw today is an indication of this chapter's future...WOW, these young women are going to rock this sorority thing!

I was talking with all the alumnae in the room, and the really neat thing is, there was only one from my home chapter.  Alumnae groups are made up of women from all over the United States.  It's your love of your sorority that brings you together.  We were all talking about how contagious the new members excitement was.  While they were playing icebreaker and get to know you games, and laughing and cheering each other, it took me back to my pledge class.  (Back then we called ourselves pledges.)  My pledge sisters are some of the sweetest strongest ladies I know!  One alumnae texted her besties in her new member class just to tell them how much she loves and misses seeing them.  I miss seeing a lot of mine too.  Families & work sometimes get in the way.  ;)

As we were talking, I discovered I was the old lady in the room!  WHAT?!?  I thought I was 29, max.  My age snuck up on me!  OMG, I was the oldest in the room!  No wonder I was so nostalgic.  Just call me dirt, because apparently I'm as old as it is.  I can't remember when I've ever been the oldest, unless it's in a classroom or doing something else where I'm dealing with kids.  One new member made my day.  Because we were all still in our white dresses from the ceremony, she knew who the alumnae were, not that our grey hair or wrinkles gave us away. :)  She ran up and said "I need a selfie with each one of you!"  Um, I'm old enough to be her mom, and I'm not that cool.  But she insisted, so we all obliged.  It made the old lady in the room feel a little younger!

Elizabeth and I had a great laugh about my situation today.  If I didn't laugh, I would probably cry & life is too short not to take the good with you and check your age at the door.  And today was definitely a good day!  

Celebrating being young & young at heart!
Celebrating Life!
~ashley

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hey Mom...You're Hovering!

Image
Helicopter parents just about do me in!  Y'all, I'm getting my soapbox out on this one.  I mean it, they really bother me.  If you're a self-admitted helo parent, you need to read this posting. First off, let me say, I am not a perfect parent.  I am blessed with wonderful children, but I know they didn't get that way by accident.  It's hard work to let your children go & let them learn how to stand on their own two feet.  Their standing starts when they are young & progresses as they get older so when they are about to go to college they are actually semi-responsible young adults. (semi-responsible because they are not completely supporting themselves  yet, and yes there is a HUGE difference!) You may be wondering where this ranting is coming from?  At church 2 Sundays age I had a mom totally wig-out about leaving her child in a room of other 5 years olds.  The child was fine:  she came in & was gett...
Read more

Ready and GO

Image
Not to brag, but (actually I am bragging here.  FYI, when someone says 'but' in the middle of a sentence, they are oftentimes contradicting themselves.) I have successfully taught three children how to drive.  Today, I begin my fourth and final journey in teaching the art of driving.  Don't kid  yourself, driving is an art.  Have you seen how half the people drive on the road?  Some of them need a few more lessons.  It's a ready and go kind of day! I used to joke that, with my brother being 7 years younger than I am, my mom just threw him the keys and made him teach himself how to drive.  Henry is 7 years younger than Hopson, and  I've been looking forward to having a chauffeur since Elizabeth turned 16.  I always have to drive everyone everywhere, so I'll be happy to sit, observe and teach from the passenger's side.  (Hopson is turning into his dad & likes me to drive him as well.)  Now I don't have to go to the groc...
Read more

Well Good for Fair Fanny Petro

Image
This is one of favorite sayings from the movie, The Help.  The way Skeeter says it with just the right touch of 'I don't give a flying monkey's behind' is perfect...I.mean.PERFECT.  And you have to say it like  you are from 1960's deep south.  Which means you don't really pronounce your r's.  Here's the clip from youtube. This is a saying I'll say sometimes if somebody is talking about something I don't give two shakes about.  I thought it just a few hours ago as I was listening to the radio.  But to back up just a bit so you know why I said it... ...The older I get the more I don't  understand our fascination with Hollywood stars, musicians, and people who play collegiate/professional sports.  Most of them are not worth our time of day.  There is a large portion of them that are just, well, trash.  If they were living in your community, and were just a plain Jane normal person, you probably wouldn't have anything to do with t...
Read more