Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Annie’s Wisdom

Annie's hand

Image and text by Corey Amaro.

While eating roasted chestnuts with Annie the other day, we talked. First we caught up with each other about what was new, how we were feeling and any other little tidbits such as, "The clementines are good this year." Then like usually whoever has the need to talk starts the conversation off the beaten path to who is who, and what is what.

Annie and I spoke about how life is not perfect. How we are not perfect either… and yet how we expect life, ourselves and others to be perfect. At one point I leaned in, hugged Annie for her wisdom, telling her she was perfect to me. She shook her head, and with a sly smile said, "I am not perfect because I do not know how to use the computer."

Throughout the day I laughed about that. She knows how to let go, to let it be what it is, for better or worse. To accept it and move on. So she doesn't know how to use the computer, it is trival to her life, she knows what is important and what is not.

Annie is a survior she knows what she needs to live well and follows the path to it. Even if it means that her honesty she will hurt someone. Annie is emotionally strong. That is one of the gift she has given me: lessons on being emotionally strong, which I have a great deal to learn from.

Wisdom in small a small dose goes a long way.

 

Comments

33 responses to “Annie’s Wisdom”

  1. Evelyn Jackson

    I love your Annie stories…she’s a gem!

    Reply
  2. Jeanne

    She is a precious jewel be sure to tell her how much we all love her and her stories.
    God bless her and all of you at Christmas and always.
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  3. Carrie

    What a nice thing to get up and read this morning…I’m headed to my in-laws without my husband today and I was dreading it…but reading your post made me feel better!

    Reply
  4. somepinkflowers

    merci, cory,
    for ~the small dose of wisdom~
    found
    HERE
    this morning!
    🙂
    yes
    yes
    yes
    merci beaucoup !

    Reply
  5. Paulita

    Are you sure that Annie wasn’t asking you to teach her to use the computer? Something else to fill your days — teaching Annie to use the computer. Imagine if her wisdom could go across the web.

    Reply
  6. Sharon, Morrison Mercantile

    Wisdom from the sages is priceless and a voice from God.
    Oh, how I miss my Grandmother.

    Reply
  7. Dinah Soar

    I’m thinking Annie may want you to teach her to use the computer. My mom learned in her 70’s…she will be 80 next month and is a whiz on it..she has 3..a desktop, a laptop, and one of those small ones for reading. You could give Annie a great gift–teaching her to use a computer– if that is what she was putting out there.
    BTW–love Annie…wish I had an Annie. And I love how you value her. I’d like a Corey too.

    Reply
  8. Penny

    As soon as I saw those lovely hands with so many stories to tell, I knew my day would be all-the-better for a post from you. Thank you.

    Reply
  9. Vicki

    How blessed you are to have Annie in your life!! Love to hear her words of wisdom!!

    Reply
  10. Cheryl ~ Casual Cottage Chic

    Annie and her wisdom reminds me of my mother-in-law who I miss dearly. Thank you for sharing Annie with all of us!

    Reply
  11. Linda

    Santa might give Annie an iPad this year. Easy, satisfying and relatively inexpensive.

    Reply
  12. Sue Morris

    Thankyou for Annie and for her wisdom…..I would love to meet her one day….a special lady methinks.
    Smiles Sue/Western Australia.

    Reply
  13. Julie Ann

    I love that inner strength & wisdom. Annie is so sorted. Jx

    Reply
  14. Rhonda P.

    I know Annie would lean how to use a computer if she were shown. I love the photo of her hand, what a fabulous hand.
    I’m sure we all agree Annie would write a wonderful blog…..hmmmm…..

    Reply
  15. Stubblejumpin’ Gal (Kate in Saskatchewan)

    You are so fortunate, Corey, to have an older and wiser woman for a friend. And you are so wise to appreciate her as you do.

    Reply
  16. Theresa

    How sweet it must be to have someone like Annie near by. She sounds like a smart lady. Maybe she would like to learn some basics about the computer? My Uncle in his 80’s uses email etc. and he loves it. I just love Annies wisdom. Thank you for sharing her with us!

    Reply
  17. Denise Moulun-pasek

    I could use a little Annie wisdom right now. Thank you for sharing that pearl Corey.
    I miss my Mom.

    Reply
  18. Amy Arnaz

    Hello Corey~
    I have visited your blog several times via a link on the sidebar of my cousin’s blog, but this is the first time I’ve read all of your stories about Annie. She came from an era we will never see again. Your stories are lovely. I’ll be back. ~ Amy in Nevada

    Reply
  19. Denise Solsrud

    wisdom from our elders is the best~tried and true. Bless your gift and you. Bestest,Denise

    Reply
  20. Jackie

    I love Annie:)
    jackie
    bliss farm antiques

    Reply
  21. Linda C.

    I am sure there are plenty of Annie’s in this world…just like the brocante, one just has to look.

    Reply
  22. Laurie SF

    Je adore Annie. She reminds me of my Grandmother.

    Reply
  23. Jenna

    How lucky both of you are, good friends are hard to find.

    Reply
  24. Diane

    Yet again, what a beautiful post, Corey. Thank you for your own words of wisdom…I see why Annie shares such intimacies with you…you are a very special woman and friend.
    Diane, Cuz of Christine

    Reply
  25. Jo

    “…she knows what she needs to live well and follows the path to it…” Your Annie is very, very wise woman.

    Reply
  26. Tamra/The Gilded Barn

    What a gift Annie is. How long have you been neighbors? How did this friendship start?
    Just wondering

    Reply
  27. Carol

    Corey, I’m so glad you and Annie have one another!
    I’m older then you are, but I’m likewise blessed to have an older friend who has enriched my life for many years now. While we don’t live as nearby as you and Annie seem to we speak frequently on the phone and have been through many trials and tribulations together during the twenty-five years we’ve known each other.
    My friend who is eighty-two just got a computer last year and loves it to keep in touch with her many friends across the country, read various publications and pursue her various interests.

    Reply
  28. Elaine L.

    Corey, through you, I love Annie. Wouldn’t she be surprised to know, how through your blog she has so many people who appreciate and love her that she hasn’t even met. The internet is wonderful!
    ~elaine~

    Reply
  29. M

    hi, corey,
    and hello to annie.
    was talking to an army friend whose 5-year-old grandson had spent most of the family thanksgiving chatting up a contempory of annie’s. it is the only way a child can obtain a sense of his place in the world.
    i remember people who were born before the civil war, and how much i enjoyed their company. after their grandparents were gone, my parents provided opportunities for us to meet and become friends with wonderfully cantankerous folks, and i loved my grandmother’s second husband–lived in his own home until he was 104!
    a proper yiddish greeting for such people is
    bis hundert zwanzish yohr
    and while it doesn’t much happen, if someone is happy, it is a wonderful idea.
    are chestnuts part of the secret?
    m

    Reply
  30. carol

    Please tell Annie how much we love her!
    Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  31. Don

    But what a wonderful way to communicate with family back in California! My son-in-law insisted we learn to enable us to keep in touch with a far-flung family in the USA!

    Reply
  32. Gina

    About 2 years ago, when I first started blogging, I found you through Theresa Cheeks’ blog “Art’s The Answer”.
    I love everything about your posts, your photographs and the way you share your family and life with all of us.
    Happy Holidays Corey.

    Reply
  33. Judy

    I dont remember how I came across your blog but its been a few years now and I am so addicted that I read you every (and I mean every) day from wherever. Last month I was reading you in some pretty exotic places in Morocco where they have much better telecomms than here in Oz. I love reading about your family and your brocante treasure hunting. Your photography is excellent. Thank you Corey.

    Reply

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