Category: Aging

MayBelle Goes to an Acupuncturist

~ Amy Lyles Wilson

“Does it hurt?” asks MayBelle’s sister as they talk on the phone one afternoon in June. MayBelle is late for her appointment with the acupuncturist, and she should have known better than to call her sister with only ten minutes to spare. Their phone calls last an average of 45 minutes and you can set your digital watch by this. But MayBelle was desperate for a piece of information that only her sister could give her, so she gave it a shot and then ended up being late for her appointment.

“Sort of,” said MayBelle, trying to speak in a whisper as she entered the all-natural health center. She didn’t think cell phones would be appreciated there. “I’ll call you back.”

The truth is, the slight prick of the needles hurts much less than the leg pains MayBelle has been complaining about–don’t you feel sorry for her husband, Precious?!–for two years now. “Nothing wrong with your legs,” says the internist. “Nope,” echoes the orthopedist. So MayBelle has resorted to desperate measures, such as losing weight and giving up artificial sweeteners. Soon she shall have to say goodbye to the powered creamer she keeps in her purse since she can’t tolerate the lactose in the milk at Starbucks. What else will the long-suffering MayBelle have to give up next?

For now, she is feeling a bit better, and vowing to be on top of this “healthy living” approach before she turns 50 in two years. In fact, please remember her fondly  in the morning at 11 when she goes to the physical trainer who seems to forget that MayBelle is 48 and out of shape.

Sticks and Stones…

~ Amy Lyles Wilson

I’m wondering why parents would chastise their children in public, for all those in line to renew our license plates to hear. As soon as the words were out of the father’s mouth, I saw the girl’s face crumple. He was unhappy with her performance in a softball game, and he let her know it in no uncertain terms. I wanted to hug the girl, tell her I bet she did the best she could and that her sandals were cute. Instead, I started thinking about how we speak to one another–in public and at home. How words do hurt. And really, how many of us have had to worry about sticks and stones?
 Read more of my latest post for Her Spirit here…

Maybelle and Her Mother Clean Out Closets

~ Amy Lyles Wilson

When Maybelle goes to visit her mother in the retirement “community” where she lives, they  usually undertake some kind of project. This time around, it was to clean out closets. As Maybelle diligently took each item of clothing to her mother for inspection, she came across two lovely formal gowns.

“I don’t guess I need to keep those,” said Maybelle’s mother, who is 88 and looks stunning in this picture with her first great-grandchild. “It’s not like I’ll ever go anywhere to wear something like that again.”

After the kind of pause than can be manipulated for maximum effect, she added, “You might want to hang on to them, though. You can always bury me in one.”


Ode to My Mother: “A Fine Example,” from Her Nashville Magazine

~ Amy Lyles Wilson

Though there have been many mothers to provide me with positive influences during my 48 years, I’ve learned the most from my own mother, Martha Lee Lyles Wilson, who was born in 1922. The only daughter of Eunice and S.T. Lyles, my mother spent her childhood surrounded by three older brothers, few material possessions, the red clay of north Mississippi, and a whole lot of love. She grew up to share all she could glean about life and loss and the grace that must surely come in between with her own three children, daughters all. Check out my Mother’s Day column for Her Nashville!