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Debunking the bad gene theory
Recently, I visited my elderly aunt in a nursing home. This once dignified woman was now trapped inside a sickly body. It soon became clear that she had no clue who I was, or even where she was. Her days were now spent relying on others to prevent her from sitting in cold, damp underwear.
As I looked around the nursing home I could see that my aunt’s situation was being replicated. Withered bodies sitting in front of mind-numbing television sets. Seeing people like this weighed heavy on my soul.
On the opposite end of this spectrum meet 102-year-old Edie Simms of Missouri. Edie should be an inspiration to us all. In her long life she’s had many experiences, but getting arrested was not one of them.
For her 102nd birthday, Edie decided to turn herself into the local police department — evidently, it was on her bucket list. As she walked to the waiting squad car, Edie also requested that she be handcuffed.
Prior to her arrest, Edie had spent much of her time offering support to the “younger” residents at the senior home. Helping others has been Edie’s formula for living a long and productive life. After more than a hundred years, Edie’s mind remains as…