Most of these articles are written to help us raise our children to be successful. Many of us have people living with us on the other end of the age-scale – our parents. How do we encourage them? Can they continue to live productive, happy lives? Can we –once we enter the 3^rd decade of our lives?

At the age of eighty, a farmer's wife in Virginia, USA, suffered from painful arthritis. She loved to do needlework, but her fingers could no longer hold the large embroidery needle. She looked for something else that would keep her occupied and found she could hold a small paintbrush much easier than a needle. So she began painting pictures. Only her jams and canned fruit won prizes. There were no blue ribbons for her art.

One day an art collector from New York City was traveling through the village and noticed several of her paintings for sale in a local store. When he showed them to his artist friends, they were excited.

Soon, 'Grandma Moses' became famous all over the world. Her widely-collected works of art were featured on calendars, greeting cards and in exhibitions in leading art galleries around the world. Even more amazing, twenty-five percent of her 1,500 popular paintings were done after she was 100!

My mother and father are in their 80’s and 90’s.  Nearly every day a truck delivers boxes of used stamps from all parts of the world. Their living room becomes a center of activity as up to 20 retired friends sort and cut out stamps to be repackaged and sent to stamp dealers. From the money they receive, they have helped children in orphanages; leprosy patients receive medication; built schools and helped poor children have an education.  They are my heroes.  Our children will be learning from them as well.

None of us are perfect as individuals – nor are our marriages perfect.  As we work together to maintain our love and a strong marriage, our homes will be a good environment for growing and happy children.