Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My friend and I went antique shopping today and met a delightful, 85 year old woman who works in the shop two days a week and has some of her stuff there on consignment.  I ended up buying a sheet music stand that sits on the piano.  No more of my husband's chorus music all over the living room, I hope.  Eternal optimist, that's me.  I also bought a Russian painted, laquered box for my friend, as it is her birthday.  But the big treat was talking to the lady, who was half German and half Chinese, with beautiful, clear blue eyes and amazing skin.  I told her she looked way younger than us, and it was true.  She said she likes to keep her hand in to socialize with customers and get out of the house.  She laughed about how her kids and grandkids don't want her stuff, and she can't sell it either, but she still appreciates beautiful things like napkin rings and placecard holders and she sits down every night with her good china at the dinner table.  We ohhed and ahhed over the many treasures in the glass cases, and told each other stories, and our encounter with her was the highlight of our day.  She revealed she still goes every year to Japan to soak in a hot springs there and says she will do so as long as she can walk and manage the trip.  I will think of her there, her twinkly eyes closed in complete relaxation, and her body becoming younger and younger as she poaches like a fine fish.