I love Mitch Albom’s books. They are filled with warmth, humor, and optimism — all so sorely needed in our world today.

But yesterday, I had to take exception to one of his quotations — one that previously had resonated positively with me — and all because it snowed.

First, the quote:

“Embrace aging. If you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.”

– Mitch Albom, “Tuesdays With Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson”

It’s sound advice. Logical. True. Well-meaning.

But, as i said, it snowed yesterday. That doesn’t happen often down here in the southeastern United States; and being from the north, I miss it. So today, as the first inch of white stuff accumulated on the lawn, my first impulse was to grab my winter coat, scarf, boots and gloves, head outdoors, and challenge someone to a snowball fight.

Only I couldn’t. To begin with, when I moved here five years ago, I gave away my heavy jackets, snow boots, gloves and scarves, because I was so sure I would never need them again.

Sure, I could have layered up in sweats and a jacket. What was still missing, though, was the physical ability to navigate down the steps without falling and breaking a hip, bend down to scoop up a fistful of snow without losing my balance, and get either of my shoulders to work well enough to launch a snowball toward its target.

Instead, I looked longingly out the window, told myself that Mitch Albom was too young to know what the hell he was talking about when he wrote those words, and recalled instead the wisdom of the late broadcaster Andy Rooney, who said:

“It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.”

Right you are, Andy. Right you are.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
2/1/26