Wow... I thought I was the only young person with a very close elderly friend! I really feel for you and am sure you miss her.

I am very close to my childhood piano teacher. She is now 81, and I'm 35. She is also an extremely tough, independent character. I almost lost her to cancer a couple of years ago. None of the doctors thought she'd make it, but she lived through surgery and a lot of chemo, and has been cancer-free since. It was scary to see someone like that so close to death in the hospital day after day. She's been through it all and still makes the most of life every single day.

I know that for me, it has been very inspiring to have a friend like that. She is an example of what we should all strive to be like in our old age. The elderly in my family seem to just give up on life too early.