April 1, 2025 • 57 mins
Betty Baker, a 101-year-old, shares her joyful journey through life, engaging in activities like crossword puzzles, reading, and painting despite physical limitations. Key points include:
- Approaching 102, she remains mentally sharp and active.
- Everyday she pushes herself to stay engaged rather than sedentary.
- A 63-year marriage highlighted the importance of shared values.
- Caring for her husband with Alzheimer's
- Her experience of living through WWII
- How her faith contributed during difficult times
- Her take on diet, and lifestyle for longevity
- A century of change has shaped her perspective on life's priorities.
- She emphasizes staying positive by focusing on abilities rather than limitations
-Links-
https://www.svetkapopov.com/
https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What would you say is the hardest thing, being your
age?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
In my mind I'm still the same person that I always
was, but I can't do what Ialways did.
That's the hard part.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Hey friends, welcome to the Ones who Dared podcast,
where stories of courage areelevated.
I'm your host, becca, and everyother week you'll hear
interviews from inspiring people.
My hope is that you will leaveencouraged.
I'm so glad you're here, bettyBaker.
(00:40):
Welcome to the Once a Dearpodcast.
I am so thrilled to have you inthe studio today.
Thank you, and before we getstarted with all the questions
and I had readers even submitquestions they wanted to ask you
the question that I have foryou is who is Betty?
Tell us about you.
(01:00):
Who are you?
Who is Betty Baker?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
us about you.
Who are you?
Who is Betty Baker?
Well, I try to be the sameperson I always have been.
I was an only child, so youknow, and I like to be alone.
Lavon knows that I live downthere and by myself most of the
time, but LaVon visits me andother people, so that's nice,
it's nice, mm-hmm.
So other than that, I don'tknow who I am.
(01:28):
I know I'm 101 and past, and inJune I'll be 102.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Wow, that's incredible.
How does it feel to be your age?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
It's okay.
You know, the one problem Ihave is I don't sleep well some
nights.
If I sleep well, then I can dothings in the daytime which I
like to do.
I like to do things, I don'tlike to just sit all the time.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And what are some things that you enjoy doing?
Well, I do crosswords.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I read the newspaper, I read books and lately I've
been for a long time I've donepainting by number.
That's not very expressive in away, but I love to do it.
Yeah, that's wonderful, andI've done a lot of them.
We have them all up around myroom.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
What are some other things that you're currently
enjoying in this phase of life,these days, that's?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
about all I can do.
I go out once a week LeVontakes me out if I can, if I'm
able, and I love to watch TV atnight, especially when it's dark
.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And so I heard you're not an early riser, right?
Not what?
Not an early riser?
You don't love to get up superearly, no Morning's my time to
rest.
Yeah, and has that always beenthat way for you?
No, morning's my time to rest.
Yeah, and has that always beenthat way for you?
No, it's just now.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Evening I'm better.
I can stay up till 11 o'clock,which is unusual for somebody my
age, I guess.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
So you are almost 102 andpeople are curious to.
What do you feel likecontributed to your longevity?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, I enjoy things, I enjoy life, and I don't want
to die.
I don't think anybody does, butif I think this is my last day,
that's okay.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, yeah, you have to, that's okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Yeah, you have to think that way.
Now, think ahead Mm-hmm andplan to do things that you like
to do.
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
So if I was your granddaughter sitting here today
, what were some things you'dwant to tell me or some advice
you'd have for me as anotherwoman?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, enjoy your life .
That's been one of my mottosfor years and years.
I always used to tell them that, when they leave the house or
something, enjoy your life,because you can't think of bad
things or evil things or bedepressed.
If you can look up and be happyand enjoy it, then it's
(04:11):
worthwhile.
And I always of course Iwouldn't tell them this every
day, but I always want them tofollow the Lord and be a
Christian, because I've beenthat all my life and I'm
concerned about them.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Being 101, almost 102 , you must have experienced a
lot of ups and downs in life,right, the joys and the trials,
the hardships and the when lifeis easier at certain seasons.
When life is easier at certainseasons, how have you stayed
(04:50):
consistent, or what has been thereason why you're still here
and you're consistent in justcontinuing on?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Well, it's hard to answer it, because what was the
first part?
How, how?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
much With with the life, with the life, life's, the
ups and downs of life.
How have you stayed consistentin just wanting to continue on?
Because you know there's justso many things in life, with the
and going through all thedifferent eras.
You live through world war two,you live through all these
(05:25):
different political unrests andso much that has happened in the
world in the last hundred years.
So how do you stay positive?
How do you stay hopeful?
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Speaker 2 (06:16):
Well, I think it's because I really love to live.
I love life and I always wantedto be happy life and I always
wanted to be happy.
And so then I try to be and Ipush myself a lot now,
especially because I could justsit down and not move all day at
(06:36):
my age.
But I want to get up and I wantto do things.
It's just a goal I have, Iguess.
I don't know Otherwise what tosay about it.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And when you say that you try to be happy, how do you
, what do you do to makeyourself happy, Like, how do you
?
You say that I enjoy life.
How do you enjoy life?
Or what are some?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
ways that you try to.
Well, there are a lot of thingsthat can make you unhappy.
Especially, I've had arthritis.
I've had different thingshappen to my health, not so
severe that I didn't get over it, because now I'm better than I
(07:23):
ever was, but I don't know.
I just don't know how to answerit.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Do you feel like that you were naturally more
optimistic as a person?
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Sometimes I haven't been.
Like I said, I was an onlychild and that's hard.
You know, I always wantedbrothers or sisters.
I had to do a lot of thingsjust by myself and I got an
adopted brother finally.
And a girl came I think youread this but came to live with
(07:56):
us about my age.
So that was nice.
We went to college together.
But there were times whenyou're not happy because the
circumstances around you, youknow, might be your family.
I had a wonderful mother andshe was always great and always
there for me, so I don't know.
(08:17):
Then, of course, with myhusband, I got pretty depressed
about him because he had theAlzheimer's for 10 years, but I
was determined to have him withme as long as I could and I did,
and that made me feel good, youknow, happy about that.
(08:38):
I didn't want him going to anursing home unless I just
couldn't handle him anymore.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Yeah, and that was pretty brave of you to want to
do that, I know.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
I'm not the type of person to take care of sick
people, but he was always up andgoing.
He was pretty well physically,so it wasn't so hard that way.
Mentally it was hard because hewas so smart and he was, you
(09:09):
know, like that kind of person.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But gradually it just goes away the memory, and what
was the hardest part about thatseason for you?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Well, seeing your husband, your loved one, change.
So you know you couldn't hardlybelieve it, but you had to
believe it because it was rightthere.
You would ask questions overand over and it got a little
hard.
I would walk out lots of timesbecause I couldn't out of the
(09:43):
room or outside because Icouldn't stand anymore for a
little while.
But I got through it all and Iknow I did it with the help of
God.
He is the head of my life.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And you're here.
What I said?
And you're here.
Yes, yes, yeah.
Looking back at your life, whatdo you feel?
Like you?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
would have done differently, or you would do
differently now.
The one thing I wish I had donewas take a different major.
In college, I taught school fora little while and that's what
(10:34):
I wanted to do ever since I wasa little girl.
I loved school, but it did notwork out.
But the situation was very bad.
I had to travel an hour.
We didn't get much money backthen and I couldn't afford to
stay in the area because I wasliving with another person.
It was quite a cheap apartment,but that, if I could have done
something else, I did later.
I worked for my uncle in hisoffice and I liked that.
(10:57):
I was alone.
Because I'm an introvert.
I came to that conclusion.
I'm not an outgoing person, butmy husband was.
We were opposites, so thatworked out very well too.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Is there any other regrets that you have Any other
big regrets?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Well, I really couldn't think of any when I
read that question.
You know, I can't think of any.
I don't know question.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
You know I can't think of any, I don't know.
You feel like you're satisfiedwith the choices you made and
the life that you lived for themost part.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yes, sometimes, you know, when your children get to
be teenagers and older, you feellike why didn't I do better?
Couldn't I have done a lotbetter to keep them living a
better life and not doing someof the things that bothered us
(11:55):
both of us.
So I had four children and Ihad the three girls and then a
boy.
And that was hard.
And I was older I was 45 yearsold when I had my son.
That was unusual too, yeah, andit was hard to change from
(12:18):
those girls to him because theyare different, bringing them up
and everything about them.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
They are different, bringing them up and everything
about them, and so when?
Speaker 2 (12:33):
that teenage phase ended, did you feel like you
stopped beating yourself up as amom?
You have to.
You have to just live your ownlife and be happy in your own
self.
It's hard, but you come to thatconclusion.
They have to live their ownlife, they have to go, let them
go.
And you do your best to helpthem.
(12:55):
Even yet, you don't give themup on them.
They always loved to come home,and that was good and we
enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
I've heard parents say that if my kids are not
happy when they're adults, right, then I can't be happy when my
kids are having problems.
It's like my problem.
What do you say to someone whothinks like that?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well, you have to just wait a while, I guess, and
try to get above it.
I always prayed a lot.
Of course my husband was aminister I don't know, I guess
you knew that and sometimes Ididn't have much time.
(13:40):
I was, sometimes I didn't havemuch time.
But the one minister we hadwhen I was young said to us
young people you read that Bibleevery day and pray to God every
day.
If it's just a few minutes, doit.
(14:01):
And I know that that hascarried me through.
I've done it.
I wouldn't say every day, youskip once in a while when you're
busy, but I think being likethat and really concentrating on
it it helps, because after youread it, you think about it, you
(14:26):
can think about it all day.
The verses, they can stay withyou.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Yeah, and so when the world felt really hard for you,
when life was really hard, yes,was that how you kept your
peace Definitely?
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, that's the one thing that made me strong.
Yeah, and I was like I say wasI like to be by myself lots of
times, but you always know thatgod's there with you, taking
care of you.
He is, and you have to dependon him.
(15:03):
You can't be by yourselfwithout him, I mean, you can't
succeed, you can't carry on.
That's my idea, anyway, and Ithink it should be everybody's.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
What is one message you would love to pass on to the
listener?
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Keep looking forward.
You can't look back all thetime.
I do a lot now because I'm atthe end of my life and I think
about the things that havehappened and how I succeeded,
got through them.
It was like it's just a journeyand you take it.
(15:53):
You try to take it one day at atime, but you can't.
You think of the past, youthink of the future, you think
of tomorrow, but don't dwell onit.
You have to take one day at atime and be happy.
You're here.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Has that always been your philosophy?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Pretty much yeah, when I was a little girl, I just
loved.
I loved to be outdoors, I lovedeverything, I loved people, I
loved my family.
And that is the one word thatyou can if you love, if you love
others, if you love God, youlove yourself too.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
And do you love yourself, Betty?
I guess that's a hard thing tosay, to say out loud, right,
that I love myself.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
It doesn't make much sense to say I love myself, but
I love my life.
Like you say, there's a lot ofdowns.
You can't live life withoutthem and they will come and
they'll go and that's what youhave to.
I'll get through this After awhile.
(17:10):
You know that you will.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yeah, and so some people have a hard time liking
who they are or lovingthemselves.
Have you always felt contentwith who you are and liking who
you are, or was that a processfor you?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Well, I don't think I was always content about myself
.
I wish lots of times to bedifferent, maybe where I'm going
.
Sometimes, when my husband andI are supposed to go to a
gathering or dinner, I say Idon't know those people, I don't
want to go to a gathering ordinner.
(17:46):
I'd say I don't know thosepeople, I don't want to go.
And he would say, well, how areyou going to get to know them?
Or if I didn't want to go tothe doctor or the dentist you
know you hesitate and I don'twant to go I'd say, well, be
glad you have a doctor, be gladyou have a dentist, be glad you
have a dentist, be glad you cango.
And that helped me and inspiredme, and I still think of it
(18:10):
these days.
He was an outgoing person likethat.
He loved people, he could talk,just like my daughter.
And I was just the opposite,although I got a lot better as
time went by.
When I was small, sometimeswhen anybody came to our door, I
(18:32):
would run upstairs because Ididn't know who it was and I
didn't want to see who it was.
But I got over that.
You know, eventually I think itwas because I was an only child
.
I'm not sure though, it wasjust my nature.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
What in the world has changed the most since you were
a child?
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Oh, my goodness, we didn't have TV, of course, when
I was young.
We had radio.
We didn't have cell phones.
We had radio, we didn't havecell phones.
We, just we were.
(19:15):
We lived a different kind oflife completely.
When you think about it now,every place you look, people are
on these phones.
I go to the store and I thinksomebody's talking to me and I
look around and oh, they're ontheir phone and, of course,
having TV.
I love TV, I love game shows,but you know it takes a lot of
time.
You should be doing somethingelse, maybe, if you can.
(19:37):
I can't now, at night I have todo that.
My eyes aren't as good forreading as at night and I think
it's good.
But I think there are a lot ofthings that we could need to go
back to, but maybe that wouldnever happen, I'm sure.
(20:01):
And what are some things thatyou wish we can go back to?
Well, I think they're workingon it and the media, you know,
and other people, other places,the news, and all trying to get
people to be more active.
The children go outside, getmore exercise, and they're
(20:25):
trying to get the children toleave their phones at home,
which is good in some ways.
And yet what if they need theirparent?
You know you think of that too.
They're really a great thing tohave, and they should be more
(20:45):
watchful about what theirchildren are doing and how they
bring them up more, give themmore time.
I think that's one thing.
Parents just go to work, lettheir children bring up
themselves.
A lot of them these days, andit wasn't like that back when I
was little or younger, right, Idon't know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
What do you miss about the world the most?
Back then?
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Well, I don't know, I don't.
I miss people being more caringabout others.
They're too selfish.
A lot of people, not everybody,but so many.
(21:42):
And it's just this rush, rush,rush.
You see the TV, you know, oreven when you're out, cars
everywhere just going as fast asthey can go.
And it wasn't like that backthen.
They had speed limits for ashigh as they are now.
But it's like it has to be thatway now, because everything has
(22:07):
just sort of grown up.
We might say in a different way.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
So you feel like the world was at a slower pace
before I think so.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
At least in my life it was.
It's hard to keep up witheverything now that's going on,
did you?
Speaker 1 (22:33):
have a favorite era.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I think living with my husband was the one that
would be the best, becausebefore that you don't know if
you're going to get married.
You don't know.
You're always that question isin your mind Am I going to live
alone the rest of my life or amI going to find somebody?
That's you know.
I was very fussy.
I hardly ever liked any guys.
(23:03):
They just weren't.
I wouldn't even consider thembecause it wasn't my choice at
all.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
So you enjoyed being married, that season of your
life when you were with yourhusband.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, 63 years we were married.
Wow, that's incredible.
It was very good, we got alongwell.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
What were your tips, or what are your tips for a good
marriage?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Well, it's a hard one .
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Or what worked for you guys personally, Like, what
do you feel worked for yourmarriage that Well?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
I left him half.
I mean, he had certain things.
He took care of the money part.
We had a budget.
He was a very great person fora budget and I just left him do
that all our life.
But then when he gotAlzheimer's, I had to take over.
That was a little difficultbecause I didn't know what was
(24:10):
going on.
That was a little difficultbecause I didn't know what was
going on.
But he always gave me money forthe household.
You know, we always agreed onmoney.
Maybe it was because we didn'thave too much, because our
churches weren't huge and he hadto work part-time sometimes in
(24:34):
some of our churches and he wasa good worker.
He was always.
I remember him preaching don'tgive people a half day of work
when you're supposed to do awhole day.
You know, give your best ofeverything you do, working,
whatever it is, and Iappreciated that and I think
(25:01):
everybody else needed that.
I don't know.
We just got along and it's hardto say why.
Yeah, I always feel so terribleabout so many divorces these
days and so many people womenhaving to take care of their
children by themselves, andmostly I feel bad for the
(25:23):
children.
The adults can adjust, they cansomehow get through it.
But children are not going toforget that kind of a life and
it's sad for them these days.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Yeah, what was your childhood like?
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Well, it was pretty normal.
I always loved to be outsideplaying with my friends and I
had a pretend friend when I wasby myself, just like a lot of
kids do.
That maybe, I don't know.
And my mom and dad got alongpretty well for a long time but
(26:09):
later, like they didn't so much,it wasn't bad, you know, it
wasn't any fighting much oranything like that or any too
many arguments or anything.
But my dad, he liked to go outnights, so we were alone a lot.
(26:31):
He liked to go out nights, sowe were alone a lot, but he was
a good worker, a great worker.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
He always worked steady, provided for us.
At this point in your life,what matters the most to you?
What?
What matters the most to you?
What?
What matters the most.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Well for me.
I mean the way I am now.
I don't go out, I can't walk bymyself, I can't do much of
anything.
I spend a lot of time in prayer.
I pray for over 50 people a dayall their names.
(27:18):
I have 19 great-grandchildren.
Wow, I had nine grandchildren.
I was very sad when my onegrandson died of drugs.
He was 20, in his 20s and hehad gotten off a lot.
(27:38):
But I guess they always go backto that or maybe not completely
, but he did.
And my daughter, my olderdaughter, she had dementia too
last year of her life it's a sadthing when she worked 40 years
(27:59):
in insurance.
She loved to work, she had twochildren, but she made it
through like that and after sheretired then she got dementia.
She never had any kind of aretirement, much that was sad?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
What delights you, what brings you joy?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Well, I like to eat.
I guess most people do.
My daughter is very great atbringing me some food and
shopping for me.
I still get my own lunch andbreakfast and she gives me the
other dinner meal.
I like to go outside.
(28:42):
In the summer, you know, I canwalk a little bit around.
I love the good weather.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I like to read how were you impacted by World War
II?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Well, a lot of the kids that I went to school with
it was high school.
I was in high school then A lotof them died or were injured.
They had to go to war and evenwhen I went to college there
(29:17):
weren't very many guys there.
They were off to war and we hada lot of hard times getting gas
.
You had to have tickets to getanything.
You know, they were rationedSome foods.
It was a hard time.
(29:38):
I think, when I think back, itwas one of the worst times in my
life, in our life when thathappened, Just that, terrible
bombs that were put off Terrible, Terrible time in my life and
other people at that age.
People picked up the reins andwent on.
(30:00):
Mm-hmm.
That's what we had to do.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
What was the hardest part about that period for you?
What was the hardest?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
part about that period for you, well being in
high school, I mean, we talked alot about it in our classes.
We knew what was going on andmy dad, I think he, didn't have
a job for a while and we had todepend on some things from the
(30:32):
government.
A lot of people did People.
There were bread lines, youmight call it, for people to
have food, but it didn't get asbad, of course, because it was
the United States.
You know, it wasn't, theyweren't over here, it was
overseas, and so people justworked.
(30:56):
I worked in these factories andother people too had to work and
try to get through it.
I sewed in factories.
You did, yes, two differentones when they made men's army
pants, and mostly in the suburbs.
(31:17):
You know, when I was free to doit and parachute lines I sewed,
and that was scary.
What if I don't do these right?
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Yeah, did you feel pretty patriotic and proud of
yourself for contributing to thecause?
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Yes, you did.
It felt like you're helping dosomething we had.
That was right in our hometownwhere we had these factories and
our we weren't such a big youknow city or anything, it was
just a normal town, but they hadthose two factories.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
I remember Everybody worked, had to and in that time
do you feel like the war broughtpeople together Like there was
more unity in America because ofthe war, definitely.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Because everybody was .
We were all in the same boat.
It was there, it wasn't with us, it was overseas, but it was
part of us because our family,our boys went, our young people
and the rest of us had to dig inand work.
So it was like that it gottogether, felt together more.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Who have been your greatest influences, people who
influenced you the most, maybepeople you knew in person or
people you read about.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I always loved to read.
When I was young in high schoolespecially, I had to, and some
of those books were good backthen.
I can't even hardly rememberthe authors now, but they were
good and some of my pastorsespecially.
In the teenage years they werevery helpful.
(33:11):
Teenagers years they were veryhelpful.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
We would get together for meetings and for just for
young people.
That was good.
What would you say is thehardest thing, being your age?
Speaker 2 (33:23):
In my mind I'm still the same person that I always
was, but I can't do what Ialways did.
That's the hard part.
I'll go tell LeBron, sometimes,my daughter, I wish I could.
I just want to do it.
At the end of the day I didn'tdo what I wanted to do, I
couldn't accomplish it, and thatupsets me because I just always
(33:48):
wanted to do things.
So I have to sit there andpaint my numbers and crosswords
and read, but it satisfies somethat does.
And I get phone calls from.
I have a daughter who lives inSyracuse and my son lives near
(34:11):
Scranton, so they call mesometimes and that's nice.
I guess my grandson's comingSaturday to see me.
He lives not too far away fromhere.
He's my oldest grandson and heand his son are going to come
and that's nice to see peoplethat your family.
(34:33):
The one thing that bothers me alot is so many people that I've
known through my life.
They're gone and you know Ijust even my husband's sister
and brother just passed away inthe last few months and they
weren't as old as I am.
So it's hard, but I'm stillglad I'm alive and I enjoy life.
(34:58):
I enjoy doing things.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And how old do you feel inside?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Well, some days I do feel 100.
And other days I have more pepand I feel more lively.
But I see people on TV thatthey put on there.
Maybe they're 90 years old,some famous people.
(35:28):
They're getting older or theyhave just passed away.
You know famous people.
They're getting older or theyhave just passed away.
And I think, oh my goodness,that person's 90 years old.
I didn't realize they would bethat old.
You know people that you'veheard about all your life.
And then I sit there and think,well, I'm 100.
(35:48):
How can I be older than them?
It's just impossible.
That's how sometimes I be olderthan them.
It's just impossible.
That's how sometimes I feel.
And then other times I don'tfeel.
So peppy, I don't care if Italk very much or do anything,
but I take a little nap everyafternoon.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
It helps me through what is the bravest thing that
Betty has done?
Speaker 2 (36:15):
I haven't done anything.
That's how I feel.
I mean you just wish you couldaccomplish a lot more than you
ever did.
The greatest thing was I hadraised my four children, I guess
, and I tried to be a good wifeto my husband.
I always cooked meals.
That's one thing he used totell people when he was older,
(36:36):
even when he had Alzheimer's.
My wife, she, always cookedsome good meals and it made him
happy and I cooked meals that heliked all the time.
I knew what he liked andespecially when he got older
that was a sad part of my lifewas that 10 years he had that
(36:59):
and it was something you justcouldn't even imagine you had to
go through.
But I got through it and I'mstill here alive.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
What are some brave things you wish you would have
done?
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Oh well, I don't know what else I could have done.
I tried to be a—I did a lot ofthings in the church.
I taught Sunday school class.
I played the piano for serviceslots of times.
I tried to do everything.
(37:39):
I was asked I would be oncommittees and into the women's
group and whatever.
I don't know if there'sanything that I.
I just wish I could have been agreater mother to my family.
How so?
I tried.
I always wanted to be a goodmother and I tried.
(38:03):
So I don't know if I have anyregrets.
I just tried all my life to dowhat I should and what I wanted
to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
And you said you wish you would have been a better
mother.
How so.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
At the time I thought I was doing everything right
and doing my best and doing mybest.
But when you think back then, Ithink I didn't work out and I
stayed home most of the timewhen they were young.
When I got to Larry we werelater in life, that was a little
(38:47):
harder and he was different,being a boy, from the girls.
So I just sort of you just sortof drift along a little bit
more because you're too tired todo what you should.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yes, I mean, as most parents, the youngest kid is.
You know you're more relaxed,right?
All of us are yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
But they all turned out pretty well.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
What are three books that were transformative for you
, or three books that werepivotal for your life?
I did think about.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Since I moved here to this area I got interested in
the Amish.
So LaVaughn had a lot of Amishbooks and so she would give them
to me and I read them and Ijust loved them.
I don't read any more nowbecause once you get through
three or four you know you'redone, but I just loved them and
(39:45):
it sort of helped me to thinkhow great we have it using all
the things that we use, thatthey don't Cars.
I mean, they ride in them butthey don't drive them.
It's impossible.
I feel sorry in a way for theiryoung people and their children
(40:07):
, but yet they're either happyor they leave.
So I guess that's why I came tothat conclusion.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Betty, what is the best advice that someone gave
you?
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(40:57):
I had good teachers.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
When I was young, people wonder why I write so
well.
I still can write pretty nicely, even though everybody says
that they see my writing.
It was because they stood thereand watched you and paid
attention and pushed you, andthey were that kind of people,
(41:24):
and I think that we do need moreof that in schools, for
teachers to be more attentive tochildren.
I don't know I don't hear muchabout children in school anymore
, of course, but I just wonderabout some of them.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Is there anything that I have not asked you that
you'd like to share with thelistener?
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Well, I don't think of anything really.
You've done pretty well, I just.
I mean, I have a good memory.
That's one thing I'm thankfulfor.
Thankful for because mostpeople at this age they can't
remember or they have dementia,and I just thank the Lord every
(42:20):
day for that, and also that Ican see and I can hear, although
sometimes I don't hear verywell maybe.
But you know, be thankful too,that's a big thing in your life.
You have to be thankful forwhat you have.
I've lived 50 years with onlyone eye to see out of, but I'm
(42:42):
thankful that I can see out ofone eye.
I'm thankful that I got helpfor it, even a few years ago
with the injections they giveyou modern things that they do.
We just never dreamed that theycould do anything like that.
That would help you in yourvision, and there's a lot of
(43:06):
good doctors that help people.
I've had a lot of arthritisthrough the years Bursitis,
arthritis, injections but rightnow I haven't had anything much
for a couple years.
I was in the nursing home a fewyears, Not a year a few times.
(43:29):
It just seems like I just cancarry on.
I don't know how many moreyears, but I've had a good life.
Let's put it that way.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
Yeah, and did you follow a specific diet of eating
that you feel like contributedto your long life In?
Speaker 2 (43:53):
some ways Most of the time.
When I was young we had agarden so we always had
vegetables.
But my mother was a great baker.
She loved to bake pies.
The lawn can tell you that whenthey would come to visit
(44:15):
Thanksgiving, of course that wasa special time.
She would have four or fivedifferent kinds of pies and
rolls.
They loved her rolls and hersticky buns.
That sounds so good, and so wealways had that along.
You know which these daysthat's not good that, of course,
but I still think it's goodsome to have that.
(44:39):
I've always eaten a lot of goodvegetables and salads and tried
especially as you get older youlike to eat right, but I still
eat cookies and cake and candy.
I never drank alcohol.
(45:00):
I've never drunk any alcohol orsmoked or any of that kind of
thing.
One time when I was at myaunt's house I was about five
years old, maybe around there,and I got thirsty and I saw a
glass half full on the tablewhen nobody was around and I
(45:23):
started to drink it and theyfound it out and they said oh,
you shouldn't drink that, that'sbeer.
Don't drink that.
Don't touch anything.
You know with a child, yeah,that's beer.
Don't drink that Don't touchanything on a child.
Yeah, just that age.
So I never did.
After that I thought, oh okay.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
That was your alcohol lesson right there at five huh.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
That was my alcohol lesson.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
That was my alcohol lesson.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
I think they do say that alcohol contributes to
dementia and Alzheimer's.
Well, I heard that lately.
I did hear that and I was alittle surprised because I
didn't think it probably did.
I never drank much soda either,pepsi and that kind of thing.
My husband did some.
He loved Pepsi, that was histhing, but he didn't overdrink
(46:21):
it Just when he got thirsty hewould, and I don't know.
There's lots of things you canavoid and try to help yourself
to be healthy.
Speaker 1 (46:38):
What about lifestyle?
What are some habits, somedaily rhythms that you had in
your life that you feel likecontributed to a longer life?
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Well, I always tried to walk a lot.
I wasn't into sports, I didn'tplay sports any place in high
school or college, that wasn'tmy thing, but I would walk.
They would even give us creditfor taking walks in college, I
remember would even give uscredit for taking walks in
(47:14):
college, I remember.
And my husband had hunting dogsand I would take those dogs and
walk with them, sometimes runwith them.
Even so, I always tried to getexercise, which is good, and be
outside a lot and tried to getenough sleep.
Of course I was always a goodsleeper until lately, I don't
(47:37):
know.
Just, I always try to eat right.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
And what does eating right mean to you?
Speaker 2 (47:45):
Well, eating the things that are good for you.
You know I eat meat.
I always ate meat, vegetablesand fruit, but I did not avoid
sugar sweets.
It was one of my favorites.
(48:08):
I always tried to.
If I gained weight, I tried tokeep it off and get it off right
away, but right now it's hard.
I can't get anything off.
I'm too.
I sit too much and I can't helpit.
But those are the things that Idid.
(48:30):
I don't think I did any morethan most people would naturally
do.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Did you practice the rhythm of fasting or anything
like that?
Speaker 2 (48:41):
Well, they did sometimes back in our church.
It was the Free MethodistChurch.
I don't know if you ever heardof that.
It was a branch of theMethodist church that was my
church, and they did fast.
I put it in my book I don'tknow if you remember that about
(49:03):
us two friends, my girlfriendand I.
We were about 10 years old, 8or 10.
And the people were fastingthat day For some reason.
I don't know what it was and mymother had baked a cake and put
it on the table to cool and inthe middle there was a crack
(49:27):
down through it.
I don't know if you ever saw acake like that.
That happens.
I don't know why it happens,but it was there and we decided
to take a little piece of thatbecause we were fasting too.
That's what we decided.
We're going to fast too today,because our mothers and our
family, they're fasting.
(49:48):
But we saw that cake and wewere by ourselves in the kitchen
and we started to eat that, andwe ate a lot of it.
So that was our fast for thatday.
I always tried to be good.
You know, I wanted to doeverything right.
(50:08):
I wanted to be good.
I always wanted to obey mymother.
I told her a lie when I was infirst or second grade.
I don't know about what I waswearing.
I had to wear long stockingsbecause back then they didn't
have dungarees or anything warmand it got to be a nice warm day
(50:33):
and on the way home I justrolled those stockings down.
But when I got almost home Iput them up, so she wouldn't
know it, because I didn't knowif I was allowed to do that.
And the lady next door saw me.
Uh-oh, those neighbors.
My mother.
So when I got home I lied aboutit.
(50:54):
I said no, I didn't do that.
Well, she said whatever hername was, I don't know, she told
me that that you did that.
She saw you out the window.
So I felt so terrible.
I just never forget feeling soterrible to lie to my mother
(51:15):
Because we were very close,since I didn't have any sisters
or brothers.
It was a lot closer to yourmother then because of that.
I know we were just togethermost of the time and so she felt
so bad and I felt bad so that Inever lied again as far as I
(51:36):
ever know.
That and the drink on the tablewere two good things for me.
So you learned things very earlythat carried you the rest of
your life.
Those two things I remember,and I wasn't very old, but it
worked.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
Is there any advice that you want to pass on to the
listeners before we wrap up?
Speaker 2 (52:00):
Well, I don't know.
It seems like I've said most ofwhat I would advise to people
Put God first in your life.
I mean you can pretend or youcan think you're following him
(52:21):
and living a Christian life orwhatever.
God Some people don't follow.
The real God, of course we know.
Don't follow the real God, ofcourse we know, but is he first
the first person in your life?
You have to put him above yourfamily, your mates, everybody,
(52:46):
and sometimes that's hard,sometimes that's not possible,
almost it feels like.
But if you do it you're goingto win.
That's the way I felt.
That was my goal in life toreally put God first.
(53:07):
And I don't know if that's thereason I'm living alone.
I don't really know why I'mliving alone.
I talked to LaVon about it, mydaughter here.
I don't know why or what to sayabout living long.
I went to the dentist not longago a new dentist and they
couldn't believe me coming inthere and I was 100.
(53:31):
And at the end the girls in theoffice said to me why can you
tell me, why you think you'reliving this long, why you're 100
?
So I told her.
I said I don't know, but Imentioned that I did always try
to eat right, live right.
But you know, my husband was Ididn't know how to express it to
(53:51):
some strange live right, butyou know, my husband was I
didn't know how to express it tosome strange person right then.
And my husband was a minister,oh that's it.
She knew right away that I wasa follower of God, a true
Christian.
You know, because I lived mywhole life like that, 63 years
(54:13):
with him, and that reallyaffected me to think that she
would say that after I named allthese other things, I should
have named that first, I suppose.
But you have to be carefulsometimes how you speak to
people about things.
But I did finally say that toher and she caught on right away
(54:35):
.
So I guess maybe the way I'velived and been a follower of the
Lord all my life, ever since Iwas a little girl, six years old
, my mother took me to churchall the time.
Then she did.
My dad didn't go, he never went, but she did.
(55:01):
And it's not just going tochurch, there's a lot of other
things involved.
People go to church and theythink that's it, but it isn't
involved.
People go to church and theythink that's it but it isn't.
What do you want the legacy ofyour life to?
(55:30):
be that I did my best to doeverything that I had to do.
I tried to do my best and livea great, clean life and follow
God the best I could put Himfirst.
Speaker 1 (55:52):
That's all I know to say yeah, oh, that's beautiful.
Betty, thank you so much foryour time.
You're so brave.
I got carried away, but somethings that I didn't.
Speaker 2 (56:06):
It's difficult, like I say, for me to talk.
Yeah.
I can remember things.
I can remember everything thatI wrote in that book that you
had from at 90 years old 95 Iwas when I wrote that.
I didn't write it back beforethat and that's amazing to me
(56:28):
that I could remember all thosethings.
After a while I would say, ohLaVon, I think of something else
.
I should have put this in thebook.
It just came to my mind andit's so great.
That is a great thing to beable to remember and have your
(56:48):
mental capacities.
Speaker 1 (56:49):
Yeah, absolutely.
Is this book available onamazon and other places amazon I
think, I don't know about it,we gave it.
Speaker 2 (56:58):
Okay, she gave, she gives them away.
Speaker 1 (57:00):
You guys can find betty baker's book called my
journey to 100 years whereverbooks are sold, like amazon.
Amazon has it.
That's where it's at.
Okay, so my journey, my Journeyto 100 Years Old by Betty Baker
is sold on Amazon.
If you guys want to know moreabout Betty who she is, go get
the book and read it.
Betty, it's been an honor and apleasure having you on the
(57:23):
podcast.
Speaker 2 (57:23):
Thank you so much Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (57:26):
Thank you for listening to the Once we Dare
podcast.
It is an honor to share theseencouraging stories with you.
If you enjoy the show, I wouldlove for you to tell your
friends.
Leave us a reviewer rating andsubscribe to wherever you listen
to podcasts, because this helpsothers discover the show.
You can find me on my website,speckhopoffcom.
Thank you.
What would you say is the hardest thing, being your
age?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
In my mind I'm still the same person that I always
was, but I can't do what Ialways did.
That's the hard part.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Hey friends, welcome to the Ones who Dared podcast,
where stories of courage areelevated.
I'm your host, becca, and everyother week you'll hear
interviews from inspiring people.
My hope is that you will leaveencouraged.
I'm so glad you're here, bettyBaker.
(00:40):
Welcome to the Once a Dearpodcast.
I am so thrilled to have you inthe studio today.
Thank you, and before we getstarted with all the questions
and I had readers even submitquestions they wanted to ask you
the question that I have foryou is who is Betty?
Tell us about you.
(01:00):
Who are you?
Who is Betty Baker?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
us about you.
Who are you?
Who is Betty Baker?
Well, I try to be the sameperson I always have been.
I was an only child, so youknow, and I like to be alone.
Lavon knows that I live downthere and by myself most of the
time, but LaVon visits me andother people, so that's nice,
it's nice, mm-hmm.
So other than that, I don'tknow who I am.
(01:28):
I know I'm 101 and past, and inJune I'll be 102.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Wow, that's incredible.
How does it feel to be your age?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
It's okay.
You know, the one problem Ihave is I don't sleep well some
nights.
If I sleep well, then I can dothings in the daytime which I
like to do.
I like to do things, I don'tlike to just sit all the time.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And what are some things that you enjoy doing?
Well, I do crosswords.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I read the newspaper, I read books and lately I've
been for a long time I've donepainting by number.
That's not very expressive in away, but I love to do it.
Yeah, that's wonderful, andI've done a lot of them.
We have them all up around myroom.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
What are some other things that you're currently
enjoying in this phase of life,these days, that's?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
about all I can do.
I go out once a week LeVontakes me out if I can, if I'm
able, and I love to watch TV atnight, especially when it's dark
.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And so I heard you're not an early riser, right?
Not what?
Not an early riser?
You don't love to get up superearly, no Morning's my time to
rest.
Yeah, and has that always beenthat way for you?
No, morning's my time to rest.
Yeah, and has that always beenthat way for you?
No, it's just now.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Evening I'm better.
I can stay up till 11 o'clock,which is unusual for somebody my
age, I guess.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
So you are almost 102 andpeople are curious to.
What do you feel likecontributed to your longevity?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, I enjoy things, I enjoy life, and I don't want
to die.
I don't think anybody does, butif I think this is my last day,
that's okay.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, yeah, you have to, that's okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Yeah, you have to think that way.
Now, think ahead Mm-hmm andplan to do things that you like
to do.
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
So if I was your granddaughter sitting here today
, what were some things you'dwant to tell me or some advice
you'd have for me as anotherwoman?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, enjoy your life .
That's been one of my mottosfor years and years.
I always used to tell them that, when they leave the house or
something, enjoy your life,because you can't think of bad
things or evil things or bedepressed.
If you can look up and be happyand enjoy it, then it's
(04:11):
worthwhile.
And I always of course Iwouldn't tell them this every
day, but I always want them tofollow the Lord and be a
Christian, because I've beenthat all my life and I'm
concerned about them.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Being 101, almost 102 , you must have experienced a
lot of ups and downs in life,right, the joys and the trials,
the hardships and the when lifeis easier at certain seasons.
When life is easier at certainseasons, how have you stayed
(04:50):
consistent, or what has been thereason why you're still here
and you're consistent in justcontinuing on?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Well, it's hard to answer it, because what was the
first part?
How, how?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
much With with the life, with the life, life's, the
ups and downs of life.
How have you stayed consistentin just wanting to continue on?
Because you know there's justso many things in life, with the
and going through all thedifferent eras.
You live through world war two,you live through all these
(05:25):
different political unrests andso much that has happened in the
world in the last hundred years.
So how do you stay positive?
How do you stay hopeful?
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Speaker 2 (06:16):
Well, I think it's because I really love to live.
I love life and I always wantedto be happy life and I always
wanted to be happy.
And so then I try to be and Ipush myself a lot now,
especially because I could justsit down and not move all day at
(06:36):
my age.
But I want to get up and I wantto do things.
It's just a goal I have, Iguess.
I don't know Otherwise what tosay about it.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And when you say that you try to be happy, how do you
, what do you do to makeyourself happy, Like, how do you
?
You say that I enjoy life.
How do you enjoy life?
Or what are some?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
ways that you try to.
Well, there are a lot of thingsthat can make you unhappy.
Especially, I've had arthritis.
I've had different thingshappen to my health, not so
severe that I didn't get over it, because now I'm better than I
(07:23):
ever was, but I don't know.
I just don't know how to answerit.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Do you feel like that you were naturally more
optimistic as a person?
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Sometimes I haven't been.
Like I said, I was an onlychild and that's hard.
You know, I always wantedbrothers or sisters.
I had to do a lot of thingsjust by myself and I got an
adopted brother finally.
And a girl came I think youread this but came to live with
(07:56):
us about my age.
So that was nice.
We went to college together.
But there were times whenyou're not happy because the
circumstances around you, youknow, might be your family.
I had a wonderful mother andshe was always great and always
there for me, so I don't know.
(08:17):
Then, of course, with myhusband, I got pretty depressed
about him because he had theAlzheimer's for 10 years, but I
was determined to have him withme as long as I could and I did,
and that made me feel good, youknow, happy about that.
(08:38):
I didn't want him going to anursing home unless I just
couldn't handle him anymore.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Yeah, and that was pretty brave of you to want to
do that, I know.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
I'm not the type of person to take care of sick
people, but he was always up andgoing.
He was pretty well physically,so it wasn't so hard that way.
Mentally it was hard because hewas so smart and he was, you
(09:09):
know, like that kind of person.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But gradually it just goes away the memory, and what
was the hardest part about thatseason for you?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Well, seeing your husband, your loved one, change.
So you know you couldn't hardlybelieve it, but you had to
believe it because it was rightthere.
You would ask questions overand over and it got a little
hard.
I would walk out lots of timesbecause I couldn't out of the
(09:43):
room or outside because Icouldn't stand anymore for a
little while.
But I got through it all and Iknow I did it with the help of
God.
He is the head of my life.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And you're here.
What I said?
And you're here.
Yes, yes, yeah.
Looking back at your life, whatdo you feel?
Like you?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
would have done differently, or you would do
differently now.
The one thing I wish I had donewas take a different major.
In college, I taught school fora little while and that's what
(10:34):
I wanted to do ever since I wasa little girl.
I loved school, but it did notwork out.
But the situation was very bad.
I had to travel an hour.
We didn't get much money backthen and I couldn't afford to
stay in the area because I wasliving with another person.
It was quite a cheap apartment,but that, if I could have done
something else, I did later.
I worked for my uncle in hisoffice and I liked that.
(10:57):
I was alone.
Because I'm an introvert.
I came to that conclusion.
I'm not an outgoing person, butmy husband was.
We were opposites, so thatworked out very well too.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Is there any other regrets that you have Any other
big regrets?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Well, I really couldn't think of any when I
read that question.
You know, I can't think of any.
I don't know question.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
You know I can't think of any, I don't know.
You feel like you're satisfiedwith the choices you made and
the life that you lived for themost part.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yes, sometimes, you know, when your children get to
be teenagers and older, you feellike why didn't I do better?
Couldn't I have done a lotbetter to keep them living a
better life and not doing someof the things that bothered us
(11:55):
both of us.
So I had four children and Ihad the three girls and then a
boy.
And that was hard.
And I was older I was 45 yearsold when I had my son.
That was unusual too, yeah, andit was hard to change from
(12:18):
those girls to him because theyare different, bringing them up
and everything about them.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
They are different, bringing them up and everything
about them, and so when?
Speaker 2 (12:33):
that teenage phase ended, did you feel like you
stopped beating yourself up as amom?
You have to.
You have to just live your ownlife and be happy in your own
self.
It's hard, but you come to thatconclusion.
They have to live their ownlife, they have to go, let them
go.
And you do your best to helpthem.
(12:55):
Even yet, you don't give themup on them.
They always loved to come home,and that was good and we
enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
I've heard parents say that if my kids are not
happy when they're adults, right, then I can't be happy when my
kids are having problems.
It's like my problem.
What do you say to someone whothinks like that?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well, you have to just wait a while, I guess, and
try to get above it.
I always prayed a lot.
Of course my husband was aminister I don't know, I guess
you knew that and sometimes Ididn't have much time.
(13:40):
I was, sometimes I didn't havemuch time.
But the one minister we hadwhen I was young said to us
young people you read that Bibleevery day and pray to God every
day.
If it's just a few minutes, doit.
(14:01):
And I know that that hascarried me through.
I've done it.
I wouldn't say every day, youskip once in a while when you're
busy, but I think being likethat and really concentrating on
it it helps, because after youread it, you think about it, you
(14:26):
can think about it all day.
The verses, they can stay withyou.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Yeah, and so when the world felt really hard for you,
when life was really hard, yes,was that how you kept your
peace Definitely?
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, that's the one thing that made me strong.
Yeah, and I was like I say wasI like to be by myself lots of
times, but you always know thatgod's there with you, taking
care of you.
He is, and you have to dependon him.
(15:03):
You can't be by yourselfwithout him, I mean, you can't
succeed, you can't carry on.
That's my idea, anyway, and Ithink it should be everybody's.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
What is one message you would love to pass on to the
listener?
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Keep looking forward.
You can't look back all thetime.
I do a lot now because I'm atthe end of my life and I think
about the things that havehappened and how I succeeded,
got through them.
It was like it's just a journeyand you take it.
(15:53):
You try to take it one day at atime, but you can't.
You think of the past, youthink of the future, you think
of tomorrow, but don't dwell onit.
You have to take one day at atime and be happy.
You're here.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Has that always been your philosophy?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Pretty much yeah, when I was a little girl, I just
loved.
I loved to be outdoors, I lovedeverything, I loved people, I
loved my family.
And that is the one word thatyou can if you love, if you love
others, if you love God, youlove yourself too.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
And do you love yourself, Betty?
I guess that's a hard thing tosay, to say out loud, right,
that I love myself.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
It doesn't make much sense to say I love myself, but
I love my life.
Like you say, there's a lot ofdowns.
You can't live life withoutthem and they will come and
they'll go and that's what youhave to.
I'll get through this After awhile.
(17:10):
You know that you will.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yeah, and so some people have a hard time liking
who they are or lovingthemselves.
Have you always felt contentwith who you are and liking who
you are, or was that a processfor you?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Well, I don't think I was always content about myself
.
I wish lots of times to bedifferent, maybe where I'm going
.
Sometimes, when my husband andI are supposed to go to a
gathering or dinner, I say Idon't know those people, I don't
want to go to a gathering ordinner.
(17:46):
I'd say I don't know thosepeople, I don't want to go.
And he would say, well, how areyou going to get to know them?
Or if I didn't want to go tothe doctor or the dentist you
know you hesitate and I don'twant to go I'd say, well, be
glad you have a doctor, be gladyou have a dentist, be glad you
have a dentist, be glad you cango.
And that helped me and inspiredme, and I still think of it
(18:10):
these days.
He was an outgoing person likethat.
He loved people, he could talk,just like my daughter.
And I was just the opposite,although I got a lot better as
time went by.
When I was small, sometimeswhen anybody came to our door, I
(18:32):
would run upstairs because Ididn't know who it was and I
didn't want to see who it was.
But I got over that.
You know, eventually I think itwas because I was an only child
.
I'm not sure though, it wasjust my nature.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
What in the world has changed the most since you were
a child?
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Oh, my goodness, we didn't have TV, of course, when
I was young.
We had radio.
We didn't have cell phones.
We had radio, we didn't havecell phones.
We, just we were.
(19:15):
We lived a different kind oflife completely.
When you think about it now,every place you look, people are
on these phones.
I go to the store and I thinksomebody's talking to me and I
look around and oh, they're ontheir phone and, of course,
having TV.
I love TV, I love game shows,but you know it takes a lot of
time.
You should be doing somethingelse, maybe, if you can.
(19:37):
I can't now, at night I have todo that.
My eyes aren't as good forreading as at night and I think
it's good.
But I think there are a lot ofthings that we could need to go
back to, but maybe that wouldnever happen, I'm sure.
(20:01):
And what are some things thatyou wish we can go back to?
Well, I think they're workingon it and the media, you know,
and other people, other places,the news, and all trying to get
people to be more active.
The children go outside, getmore exercise, and they're
(20:25):
trying to get the children toleave their phones at home,
which is good in some ways.
And yet what if they need theirparent?
You know you think of that too.
They're really a great thing tohave, and they should be more
(20:45):
watchful about what theirchildren are doing and how they
bring them up more, give themmore time.
I think that's one thing.
Parents just go to work, lettheir children bring up
themselves.
A lot of them these days, andit wasn't like that back when I
was little or younger, right, Idon't know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
What do you miss about the world the most?
Back then?
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Well, I don't know, I don't.
I miss people being more caringabout others.
They're too selfish.
A lot of people, not everybody,but so many.
(21:42):
And it's just this rush, rush,rush.
You see the TV, you know, oreven when you're out, cars
everywhere just going as fast asthey can go.
And it wasn't like that backthen.
They had speed limits for ashigh as they are now.
But it's like it has to be thatway now, because everything has
(22:07):
just sort of grown up.
We might say in a different way.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
So you feel like the world was at a slower pace
before I think so.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
At least in my life it was.
It's hard to keep up witheverything now that's going on,
did you?
Speaker 1 (22:33):
have a favorite era.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I think living with my husband was the one that
would be the best, becausebefore that you don't know if
you're going to get married.
You don't know.
You're always that question isin your mind Am I going to live
alone the rest of my life or amI going to find somebody?
That's you know.
I was very fussy.
I hardly ever liked any guys.
(23:03):
They just weren't.
I wouldn't even consider thembecause it wasn't my choice at
all.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
So you enjoyed being married, that season of your
life when you were with yourhusband.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, 63 years we were married.
Wow, that's incredible.
It was very good, we got alongwell.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
What were your tips, or what are your tips for a good
marriage?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Well, it's a hard one .
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Or what worked for you guys personally, Like, what
do you feel worked for yourmarriage that Well?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
I left him half.
I mean, he had certain things.
He took care of the money part.
We had a budget.
He was a very great person fora budget and I just left him do
that all our life.
But then when he gotAlzheimer's, I had to take over.
That was a little difficultbecause I didn't know what was
(24:10):
going on.
That was a little difficultbecause I didn't know what was
going on.
But he always gave me money forthe household.
You know, we always agreed onmoney.
Maybe it was because we didn'thave too much, because our
churches weren't huge and he hadto work part-time sometimes in
(24:34):
some of our churches and he wasa good worker.
He was always.
I remember him preaching don'tgive people a half day of work
when you're supposed to do awhole day.
You know, give your best ofeverything you do, working,
whatever it is, and Iappreciated that and I think
(25:01):
everybody else needed that.
I don't know.
We just got along and it's hardto say why.
Yeah, I always feel so terribleabout so many divorces these
days and so many people womenhaving to take care of their
children by themselves, andmostly I feel bad for the
(25:23):
children.
The adults can adjust, they cansomehow get through it.
But children are not going toforget that kind of a life and
it's sad for them these days.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Yeah, what was your childhood like?
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Well, it was pretty normal.
I always loved to be outsideplaying with my friends and I
had a pretend friend when I wasby myself, just like a lot of
kids do.
That maybe, I don't know.
And my mom and dad got alongpretty well for a long time but
(26:09):
later, like they didn't so much,it wasn't bad, you know, it
wasn't any fighting much oranything like that or any too
many arguments or anything.
But my dad, he liked to go outnights, so we were alone a lot.
(26:31):
He liked to go out nights, sowe were alone a lot, but he was
a good worker, a great worker.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
He always worked steady, provided for us.
At this point in your life,what matters the most to you?
What?
What matters the most to you?
What?
What matters the most.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Well for me.
I mean the way I am now.
I don't go out, I can't walk bymyself, I can't do much of
anything.
I spend a lot of time in prayer.
I pray for over 50 people a dayall their names.
(27:18):
I have 19 great-grandchildren.
Wow, I had nine grandchildren.
I was very sad when my onegrandson died of drugs.
He was 20, in his 20s and hehad gotten off a lot.
(27:38):
But I guess they always go backto that or maybe not completely
, but he did.
And my daughter, my olderdaughter, she had dementia too
last year of her life it's a sadthing when she worked 40 years
(27:59):
in insurance.
She loved to work, she had twochildren, but she made it
through like that and after sheretired then she got dementia.
She never had any kind of aretirement, much that was sad?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
What delights you, what brings you joy?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Well, I like to eat.
I guess most people do.
My daughter is very great atbringing me some food and
shopping for me.
I still get my own lunch andbreakfast and she gives me the
other dinner meal.
I like to go outside.
(28:42):
In the summer, you know, I canwalk a little bit around.
I love the good weather.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I like to read how were you impacted by World War
II?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Well, a lot of the kids that I went to school with
it was high school.
I was in high school then A lotof them died or were injured.
They had to go to war and evenwhen I went to college there
(29:17):
weren't very many guys there.
They were off to war and we hada lot of hard times getting gas
.
You had to have tickets to getanything.
You know, they were rationedSome foods.
It was a hard time.
(29:38):
I think, when I think back, itwas one of the worst times in my
life, in our life when thathappened, Just that, terrible
bombs that were put off Terrible, Terrible time in my life and
other people at that age.
People picked up the reins andwent on.
(30:00):
Mm-hmm.
That's what we had to do.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
What was the hardest part about that period for you?
What was the hardest?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
part about that period for you, well being in
high school, I mean, we talked alot about it in our classes.
We knew what was going on andmy dad, I think he, didn't have
a job for a while and we had todepend on some things from the
(30:32):
government.
A lot of people did People.
There were bread lines, youmight call it, for people to
have food, but it didn't get asbad, of course, because it was
the United States.
You know, it wasn't, theyweren't over here, it was
overseas, and so people justworked.
(30:56):
I worked in these factories andother people too had to work and
try to get through it.
I sewed in factories.
You did, yes, two differentones when they made men's army
pants, and mostly in the suburbs.
(31:17):
You know, when I was free to doit and parachute lines I sewed,
and that was scary.
What if I don't do these right?
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Yeah, did you feel pretty patriotic and proud of
yourself for contributing to thecause?
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Yes, you did.
It felt like you're helping dosomething we had.
That was right in our hometownwhere we had these factories and
our we weren't such a big youknow city or anything, it was
just a normal town, but they hadthose two factories.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
I remember Everybody worked, had to and in that time
do you feel like the war broughtpeople together Like there was
more unity in America because ofthe war, definitely.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Because everybody was .
We were all in the same boat.
It was there, it wasn't with us, it was overseas, but it was
part of us because our family,our boys went, our young people
and the rest of us had to dig inand work.
So it was like that it gottogether, felt together more.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Who have been your greatest influences, people who
influenced you the most, maybepeople you knew in person or
people you read about.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I always loved to read.
When I was young in high schoolespecially, I had to, and some
of those books were good backthen.
I can't even hardly rememberthe authors now, but they were
good and some of my pastorsespecially.
In the teenage years they werevery helpful.
(33:11):
Teenagers years they were veryhelpful.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
We would get together for meetings and for just for
young people.
That was good.
What would you say is thehardest thing, being your age?
Speaker 2 (33:23):
In my mind I'm still the same person that I always
was, but I can't do what Ialways did.
That's the hard part.
I'll go tell LeBron, sometimes,my daughter, I wish I could.
I just want to do it.
At the end of the day I didn'tdo what I wanted to do, I
couldn't accomplish it, and thatupsets me because I just always
(33:48):
wanted to do things.
So I have to sit there andpaint my numbers and crosswords
and read, but it satisfies somethat does.
And I get phone calls from.
I have a daughter who lives inSyracuse and my son lives near
(34:11):
Scranton, so they call mesometimes and that's nice.
I guess my grandson's comingSaturday to see me.
He lives not too far away fromhere.
He's my oldest grandson and heand his son are going to come
and that's nice to see peoplethat your family.
(34:33):
The one thing that bothers me alot is so many people that I've
known through my life.
They're gone and you know Ijust even my husband's sister
and brother just passed away inthe last few months and they
weren't as old as I am.
So it's hard, but I'm stillglad I'm alive and I enjoy life.
(34:58):
I enjoy doing things.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And how old do you feel inside?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Well, some days I do feel 100.
And other days I have more pepand I feel more lively.
But I see people on TV thatthey put on there.
Maybe they're 90 years old,some famous people.
(35:28):
They're getting older or theyhave just passed away.
You know famous people.
They're getting older or theyhave just passed away.
And I think, oh my goodness,that person's 90 years old.
I didn't realize they would bethat old.
You know people that you'veheard about all your life.
And then I sit there and think,well, I'm 100.
(35:48):
How can I be older than them?
It's just impossible.
That's how sometimes I be olderthan them.
It's just impossible.
That's how sometimes I feel.
And then other times I don'tfeel.
So peppy, I don't care if Italk very much or do anything,
but I take a little nap everyafternoon.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
It helps me through what is the bravest thing that
Betty has done?
Speaker 2 (36:15):
I haven't done anything.
That's how I feel.
I mean you just wish you couldaccomplish a lot more than you
ever did.
The greatest thing was I hadraised my four children, I guess
, and I tried to be a good wifeto my husband.
I always cooked meals.
That's one thing he used totell people when he was older,
(36:36):
even when he had Alzheimer's.
My wife, she, always cookedsome good meals and it made him
happy and I cooked meals that heliked all the time.
I knew what he liked andespecially when he got older
that was a sad part of my lifewas that 10 years he had that
(36:59):
and it was something you justcouldn't even imagine you had to
go through.
But I got through it and I'mstill here alive.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
What are some brave things you wish you would have
done?
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Oh well, I don't know what else I could have done.
I tried to be a—I did a lot ofthings in the church.
I taught Sunday school class.
I played the piano for serviceslots of times.
I tried to do everything.
(37:39):
I was asked I would be oncommittees and into the women's
group and whatever.
I don't know if there'sanything that I.
I just wish I could have been agreater mother to my family.
How so?
I tried.
I always wanted to be a goodmother and I tried.
(38:03):
So I don't know if I have anyregrets.
I just tried all my life to dowhat I should and what I wanted
to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
And you said you wish you would have been a better
mother.
How so.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
At the time I thought I was doing everything right
and doing my best and doing mybest.
But when you think back then, Ithink I didn't work out and I
stayed home most of the timewhen they were young.
When I got to Larry we werelater in life, that was a little
(38:47):
harder and he was different,being a boy, from the girls.
So I just sort of you just sortof drift along a little bit
more because you're too tired todo what you should.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yes, I mean, as most parents, the youngest kid is.
You know you're more relaxed,right?
All of us are yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
But they all turned out pretty well.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
What are three books that were transformative for you
, or three books that werepivotal for your life?
I did think about.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Since I moved here to this area I got interested in
the Amish.
So LaVaughn had a lot of Amishbooks and so she would give them
to me and I read them and Ijust loved them.
I don't read any more nowbecause once you get through
three or four you know you'redone, but I just loved them and
(39:45):
it sort of helped me to thinkhow great we have it using all
the things that we use, thatthey don't Cars.
I mean, they ride in them butthey don't drive them.
It's impossible.
I feel sorry in a way for theiryoung people and their children
(40:07):
, but yet they're either happyor they leave.
So I guess that's why I came tothat conclusion.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
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(40:57):
I had good teachers.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
When I was young, people wonder why I write so
well.
I still can write pretty nicely, even though everybody says
that they see my writing.
It was because they stood thereand watched you and paid
attention and pushed you, andthey were that kind of people,
(41:24):
and I think that we do need moreof that in schools, for
teachers to be more attentive tochildren.
I don't know I don't hear muchabout children in school anymore
, of course, but I just wonderabout some of them.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Is there anything that I have not asked you that
you'd like to share with thelistener?
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Well, I don't think of anything really.
You've done pretty well, I just.
I mean, I have a good memory.
That's one thing I'm thankfulfor.
Thankful for because mostpeople at this age they can't
remember or they have dementia,and I just thank the Lord every
(42:20):
day for that, and also that Ican see and I can hear, although
sometimes I don't hear verywell maybe.
But you know, be thankful too,that's a big thing in your life.
You have to be thankful forwhat you have.
I've lived 50 years with onlyone eye to see out of, but I'm
(42:42):
thankful that I can see out ofone eye.
I'm thankful that I got helpfor it, even a few years ago
with the injections they giveyou modern things that they do.
We just never dreamed that theycould do anything like that.
That would help you in yourvision, and there's a lot of
(43:06):
good doctors that help people.
I've had a lot of arthritisthrough the years Bursitis,
arthritis, injections but rightnow I haven't had anything much
for a couple years.
I was in the nursing home a fewyears, Not a year a few times.
(43:29):
It just seems like I just cancarry on.
I don't know how many moreyears, but I've had a good life.
Let's put it that way.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
Yeah, and did you follow a specific diet of eating
that you feel like contributedto your long life In?
Speaker 2 (43:53):
some ways Most of the time.
When I was young we had agarden so we always had
vegetables.
But my mother was a great baker.
She loved to bake pies.
The lawn can tell you that whenthey would come to visit
(44:15):
Thanksgiving, of course that wasa special time.
She would have four or fivedifferent kinds of pies and
rolls.
They loved her rolls and hersticky buns.
That sounds so good, and so wealways had that along.
You know which these daysthat's not good that, of course,
but I still think it's goodsome to have that.
(44:39):
I've always eaten a lot of goodvegetables and salads and tried
especially as you get older youlike to eat right, but I still
eat cookies and cake and candy.
I never drank alcohol.
(45:00):
I've never drunk any alcohol orsmoked or any of that kind of
thing.
One time when I was at myaunt's house I was about five
years old, maybe around there,and I got thirsty and I saw a
glass half full on the tablewhen nobody was around and I
(45:23):
started to drink it and theyfound it out and they said oh,
you shouldn't drink that, that'sbeer.
Don't drink that.
Don't touch anything.
You know with a child, yeah,that's beer.
Don't drink that Don't touchanything on a child.
Yeah, just that age.
So I never did.
After that I thought, oh okay.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
That was your alcohol lesson right there at five huh.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
That was my alcohol lesson.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
That was my alcohol lesson.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
I think they do say that alcohol contributes to
dementia and Alzheimer's.
Well, I heard that lately.
I did hear that and I was alittle surprised because I
didn't think it probably did.
I never drank much soda either,pepsi and that kind of thing.
My husband did some.
He loved Pepsi, that was histhing, but he didn't overdrink
(46:21):
it Just when he got thirsty hewould, and I don't know.
There's lots of things you canavoid and try to help yourself
to be healthy.
Speaker 1 (46:38):
What about lifestyle?
What are some habits, somedaily rhythms that you had in
your life that you feel likecontributed to a longer life?
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Well, I always tried to walk a lot.
I wasn't into sports, I didn'tplay sports any place in high
school or college, that wasn'tmy thing, but I would walk.
They would even give us creditfor taking walks in college, I
remember would even give uscredit for taking walks in
(47:14):
college, I remember.
And my husband had hunting dogsand I would take those dogs and
walk with them, sometimes runwith them.
Even so, I always tried to getexercise, which is good, and be
outside a lot and tried to getenough sleep.
Of course I was always a goodsleeper until lately, I don't
(47:37):
know.
Just, I always try to eat right.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
And what does eating right mean to you?
Speaker 2 (47:45):
Well, eating the things that are good for you.
You know I eat meat.
I always ate meat, vegetablesand fruit, but I did not avoid
sugar sweets.
It was one of my favorites.
(48:08):
I always tried to.
If I gained weight, I tried tokeep it off and get it off right
away, but right now it's hard.
I can't get anything off.
I'm too.
I sit too much and I can't helpit.
But those are the things that Idid.
(48:30):
I don't think I did any morethan most people would naturally
do.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Did you practice the rhythm of fasting or anything
like that?
Speaker 2 (48:41):
Well, they did sometimes back in our church.
It was the Free MethodistChurch.
I don't know if you ever heardof that.
It was a branch of theMethodist church that was my
church, and they did fast.
I put it in my book I don'tknow if you remember that about
(49:03):
us two friends, my girlfriendand I.
We were about 10 years old, 8or 10.
And the people were fastingthat day For some reason.
I don't know what it was and mymother had baked a cake and put
it on the table to cool and inthe middle there was a crack
(49:27):
down through it.
I don't know if you ever saw acake like that.
That happens.
I don't know why it happens,but it was there and we decided
to take a little piece of thatbecause we were fasting too.
That's what we decided.
We're going to fast too today,because our mothers and our
family, they're fasting.
(49:48):
But we saw that cake and wewere by ourselves in the kitchen
and we started to eat that, andwe ate a lot of it.
So that was our fast for thatday.
I always tried to be good.
You know, I wanted to doeverything right.
(50:08):
I wanted to be good.
I always wanted to obey mymother.
I told her a lie when I was infirst or second grade.
I don't know about what I waswearing.
I had to wear long stockingsbecause back then they didn't
have dungarees or anything warmand it got to be a nice warm day
(50:33):
and on the way home I justrolled those stockings down.
But when I got almost home Iput them up, so she wouldn't
know it, because I didn't knowif I was allowed to do that.
And the lady next door saw me.
Uh-oh, those neighbors.
My mother.
So when I got home I lied aboutit.
(50:54):
I said no, I didn't do that.
Well, she said whatever hername was, I don't know, she told
me that that you did that.
She saw you out the window.
So I felt so terrible.
I just never forget feeling soterrible to lie to my mother
(51:15):
Because we were very close,since I didn't have any sisters
or brothers.
It was a lot closer to yourmother then because of that.
I know we were just togethermost of the time and so she felt
so bad and I felt bad so that Inever lied again as far as I
(51:36):
ever know.
That and the drink on the tablewere two good things for me.
So you learned things very earlythat carried you the rest of
your life.
Those two things I remember,and I wasn't very old, but it
worked.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
Is there any advice that you want to pass on to the
listeners before we wrap up?
Speaker 2 (52:00):
Well, I don't know.
It seems like I've said most ofwhat I would advise to people
Put God first in your life.
I mean you can pretend or youcan think you're following him
(52:21):
and living a Christian life orwhatever.
God Some people don't follow.
The real God, of course we know.
Don't follow the real God, ofcourse we know, but is he first
the first person in your life?
You have to put him above yourfamily, your mates, everybody,
(52:46):
and sometimes that's hard,sometimes that's not possible,
almost it feels like.
But if you do it you're goingto win.
That's the way I felt.
That was my goal in life toreally put God first.
(53:07):
And I don't know if that's thereason I'm living alone.
I don't really know why I'mliving alone.
I talked to LaVon about it, mydaughter here.
I don't know why or what to sayabout living long.
I went to the dentist not longago a new dentist and they
couldn't believe me coming inthere and I was 100.
(53:31):
And at the end the girls in theoffice said to me why can you
tell me, why you think you'reliving this long, why you're 100
?
So I told her.
I said I don't know, but Imentioned that I did always try
to eat right, live right.
But you know, my husband was Ididn't know how to express it to
(53:51):
some strange live right, butyou know, my husband was I
didn't know how to express it tosome strange person right then.
And my husband was a minister,oh that's it.
She knew right away that I wasa follower of God, a true
Christian.
You know, because I lived mywhole life like that, 63 years
(54:13):
with him, and that reallyaffected me to think that she
would say that after I named allthese other things, I should
have named that first, I suppose.
But you have to be carefulsometimes how you speak to
people about things.
But I did finally say that toher and she caught on right away
(54:35):
.
So I guess maybe the way I'velived and been a follower of the
Lord all my life, ever since Iwas a little girl, six years old
, my mother took me to churchall the time.
Then she did.
My dad didn't go, he never went, but she did.
(55:01):
And it's not just going tochurch, there's a lot of other
things involved.
People go to church and theythink that's it, but it isn't
involved.
People go to church and theythink that's it but it isn't.
What do you want the legacy ofyour life to?
(55:30):
be that I did my best to doeverything that I had to do.
I tried to do my best and livea great, clean life and follow
God the best I could put Himfirst.
Speaker 1 (55:52):
That's all I know to say yeah, oh, that's beautiful.
Betty, thank you so much foryour time.
You're so brave.
I got carried away, but somethings that I didn't.
Speaker 2 (56:06):
It's difficult, like I say, for me to talk.
Yeah.
I can remember things.
I can remember everything thatI wrote in that book that you
had from at 90 years old 95 Iwas when I wrote that.
I didn't write it back beforethat and that's amazing to me
(56:28):
that I could remember all thosethings.
After a while I would say, ohLaVon, I think of something else
.
I should have put this in thebook.
It just came to my mind andit's so great.
That is a great thing to beable to remember and have your
(56:48):
mental capacities.
Speaker 1 (56:49):
Yeah, absolutely.
Is this book available onamazon and other places amazon I
think, I don't know about it,we gave it.
Speaker 2 (56:58):
Okay, she gave, she gives them away.
Speaker 1 (57:00):
You guys can find betty baker's book called my
journey to 100 years whereverbooks are sold, like amazon.
Amazon has it.
That's where it's at.
Okay, so my journey, my Journeyto 100 Years Old by Betty Baker
is sold on Amazon.
If you guys want to know moreabout Betty who she is, go get
the book and read it.
Betty, it's been an honor and apleasure having you on the
(57:23):
podcast.
Speaker 2 (57:23):
Thank you so much Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (57:26):
Thank you for listening to the Once we Dare
podcast.
It is an honor to share theseencouraging stories with you.
If you enjoy the show, I wouldlove for you to tell your
friends.
Leave us a reviewer rating andsubscribe to wherever you listen
to podcasts, because this helpsothers discover the show.
You can find me on my website,speckhopoffcom.
Thank you.
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