Page 65 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2026 - Online Magazine

EXCEPTIONAL SENIORS

Leviticus could aspire to. Instead, she authentically,
persistently lived what is crucial to know for surviving
this journey known as Life on Planet Earth: joy and
heartbreak can co-exist in one human heart. Do you
remember the benediction of a sleeping newborn’s
breath on your collarbone? What about the atonal
clanging of cognitive dissonance when you, a good
person, experienced your first betrayal? I can’t explain
the grace of such a mystifying cohabitation, but I have
experienced the melody of it. Repeatedly. The same way
50-something you and your teen self can both be at the
mall, talking with your lifelong bestie about how much
you really did not know back when you knew you
knew everything.
Spoiler alert: The older I get, the more I realize how
much I still don’t know. There are a few things I know,
and with great certainty. One of them is that you are
beyond fortunate if you have someone in this one
brutal, beautiful life like my un-mentor, Dr. Mary Ann
Manley. I hope you do, that you tell her how much she
un-meant to ignorant you back then, and how much she
means to you now.

athletic, and surgically precise skills execution,
all while smiling.

Mary Ann legitimized our sport and our fun.
She sent us to cheer camp at Tech and ordered
uniforms from a cheerleading supply company;
we even had matching Nikes. It was a big deal
for us, a then-small private school, founded by a
church, whose first (my) graduating class had 12
students.
When did we decide that fun—laughing until TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2026
you can’t breathe, e.g.—is not necessary for our 5:30 - 8:30 PM | CIVIC CENTER EXHIBIT HALL
growth as human beings? Why is fun the red- SAMPLE FOOD FROM 45+ LOCAL RESTAURANTS
headed stepchild of life’s sacraments? Mary ENTERTAINMENT BY BO GARZA | CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES
Ann insisted we have fun. She hosted no-sleep BEADS | CASH BAR | CHARACTER SELFIES PHOTO BOOTH
sleepovers. Took us, dressed in our finest prom LARGE SILENT AUCTION FEATURING ITEMS FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS

(that we didn’t get to have) dresses to a fancy BENEFIT DRA WINGS FEATURING
restaurant, where she staged a surprisingly A $1,000 SOUTHWEST AIRLINES GIFT CARD AND A $1,000 AMAZON GIFT CARD
public exit when the waiter offended her. She (ONLY 500 CHANCES PER DRAWING)
then drove us to Der Wienerschnitzel ™ and $50 ADULT | $15 YOUTH (12 AND UNDER)
told us to order anything we wanted. I can still BENEFITING L UBBOCK MEALS ON WHEELS
see her face, the way she laughed when she TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
confessed the details of the pre-arranged fine IN PERSON, VIA PHONE, OR ONLINE
dining debacle. It was so well played even teens Lubbock MOW / (806) 792-7971 | lubbockmealsonwheels.org
could laugh. Eventually. Select-a-Seat (service charge applies) | At the Door ($55)

NO REENTR Y
I do not remember a single time Mary Ann life- LUBBOCK MEALS ON WHEELS
lectured us like other adults who seemingly (806) 792-7971 | 2304 34th STREET | www.lubbockmealsonwheels.org
existed to impart more rules than any book of

Lubbock Senior Link 65