Looking forward to fun days at center

Published 1:14 am Tuesday, June 16, 2009

It all begins as a young child. If only I were old enough to ride my bike alone. It seems if you were just a tiny bit older, everything would be better. Once you reach the magic age of solo bike riding, you start to once again wish you were even older, because then you wouldn’t need permission just to ride down to the corner. Then, if only you were 16, times would really be great. Once you get your driver’s license, you imagine the magic age of 18, when graduation and freedom really begin. After that magical birthday, the next age of anticipation is 21. Then you can really do anything.

However, sometime after leaving high school and entering your 20s, something changes. You start to wish another birthday wasn’t about to happen. Another year older? How did you get to 20? Thirty? Forty? No way can you be approaching 50. Why did you ever wish to be older? Youth is wasted on the young! Even as a 19-year-old college student, I too feel the pressure of aging. Time seems to be moving so quickly. In just three months, I can no longer classify myself as a teenager and must begin to face life in the 20s.

Surprisingly, after interning at the Enumclaw Senior Center for just two short weeks, this sense of impending doom has quickly been replaced with, believe it or not, excitement. I have honestly begun to look forward to the magic age of 55, when I too will be able to call myself a proud member of the Enumclaw Senior Center.

As I progress through college, I keep hearing these four years will be the best of my life. Never again will I have the fun I have in college. This used to contribute to my rising panic about turning older and eventually graduating. Maybe they are right. Where will I be able to meet with groups of friends? How can we possibly coordinate group trips when we are all busy working at our jobs? How in the world will I ever meet new people, once I get into the routine of work, family and sleep? Now I can confidently refute all these worries through my experience at the Enumclaw Senior Center.

The Senior Center is really like college, Phase 2. The grades? You get those based on health. Low blood pressure during the biweekly blood pressure tests earns you an A+ and you get to brag to your friends. That tumor you got tested is benign? Congratulations, that is extra credit! You show up twice a week and exercise? You are rewarded with extra years to live! And finally, the homework? Take your vitamins and pills, and call the doctor as soon as you have a problem.

Don’t worry, the center really knows how to party. The only difference is rather then going out Friday night, you can start the party as early as noon. This is really an improvement over those college days, because you can actually get some sleep. The center has parties almost every Friday. In my few weeks, we have already celebrated Cow Day and Flag Day, with superheroes and a luau party to look forward to. Not only do you get to celebrate random holidays (much like celebrating Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo and Wednesdays in your younger years), but there are also plenty of birthday parties. The biggest difference here? Rather than calling dibs on the biggest piece of cake, you have to monitor your sugar intake.

For those who suffered years of cooking on your own in college or after finally moving out of your parents’ house, you can finally stop relying on your decades old standby recipes. Top Ramen every Monday and chicken for the fourth time this week? The visitors to the senior center get delicious, different lunches Monday through Friday, prepared by a graduate of the Seattle Art Institute. For a donation by those older than 60 and only $5.75 for the younger folks, the price is right for a nice, hot meal. Remember ordering a pizza and the delight of it showing up at your door? The Senior Center will also deliver hot meals to your home, as needed.

Not only do the seniors get friends, food and tons of fun parties, but there is also a favorite activity of mine – shopping. Even better, you can shop at the center for free. Everyone is constantly bringing in used clothes, books, fruit and vegetables, bread, fabric and other odds and ends. Even as a younger person, I have nabbed some very cute dresses and shirts.

After all the excitement of the Enumclaw Senior Center, there are bound to be questions and concerns I will have as a senior. Many seniors have come into the office for help with a myriad of things. Whether the seniors have questions about the latest health insurance plans, government documents or simply want a friend to help think through sensitive topics, the staff is constantly helping. Just like the friendly counselor guiding people through the various issues of college, the Enumclaw Senior Center has staff to guide people through the process of aging.

Volunteering here has been an invaluable experience. People tend to think senior centers are for old people. I am not an old person, so I don’t belong there; they must be incredibly boring there; I will stay at home, thank you very much. I am so grateful my experience has allowed me to realize, I want to go to a senior center and I want to do it as soon as possible. I won’t waste years trying to convince myself I am too young as I sit at home, bored, hungry and lonely, while others are having fun at the center.

I realize when it is finally time to go to the Enumclaw Senior Center, things will inevitably be different. We won’t be interested in playing bridge or pinochle and will probably replace those games with Texas hold ‘em and kings cup. There won’t be an issue with scratched copact discs, but people will be fighting over who gets to hook up their iPod. The free stuff will probably be replaced with cell phones, computers and other high-tech gadgets. But change is always happening and the seniors are already adapting. For instance, the Enumclaw Senior Center participates in a Wii Bowling League and those seniors are really good.

However, even with all this change, the things that really matter will stay the same. There will always be a loving staff that truly cares about seniors. The food will be better than my own cooking. Friends will be waiting to play games, party and have fun. The resources for seniors and friends of seniors will be available when I need help with confusing or difficult issues.

As my 20th birthday quickly approaches, I have the Enumclaw Senior Center to thank for erasing my sense of panic. Last night, two friends were having a conversation about college. One said, “You know there is life after college” and the other, looking very anxious, said, “That’s not what I hear. This is as good as it gets.”

I could confidently smile and reassure him, trust me, you have plenty to look forward to.

The Enumclaw Senior Activity Center has had a summer intern helping to help the staff with programming, services and planning for the Fall Senior Health and Wellness Fair. Kelsey LaRoche is an Enumclaw native who will be returning to the University of Idaho in the fall.