By Nan Donovan, columnist
I’m so proud of myself. And it’s all because of a can opener.
Oh, you must be thinking, she must not have a very exciting life to be thrilled just because of a can opener. In this case, I am so excited over a can opener because it has solved one of life’s little problems.
Let me go back. For some time I had trouble with my electric can opener. It took two hands to operate. One hand to hold the can in place, and the other to keep your finger on the mechanism to keep it going. I only have one hand that works. The other hand decided to “play dead” on me about a year ago. So I have to figure out any way I can to do things differently. But don’t feel sorry for me. There are people who have a lot more to contend with. And besides, it gives me something to do, figuring out solutions to life’s little difficulties.
I went to the computer to see if I could find a can opener that I could operate. I found one that looked easy. It was non-electric and you had to use both hands to operate it, but it looked like it was manageable. I ordered it, it came, and no luck. It was too hard for the hand that didn’t work (my right hand) to hold it in place. I gave it to my neighbor, and now I have to go to her when I need a can opened. Too much trouble for me.
I decided to check out the shopping channel on television, QVC. There it was! They were demonstrating a can opener that the demonstrator wasn’t even holding. It was operating with ‘no touch’! I ordered it immediately.
Five days later it was delivered. I quickly unwrapped it. I didn’t stop to read the instruction book. I do not like instruction booklets and I never read them. I put it on top of a can from my cupboard, pushed the button and it started opening the can. When it stopped, I took the opener off the can. The lid was still on there. I could not see where the can had any evidence of a can opener.
I had to do what I never did before. I read the instruction booklet. It said to lift up the top of the can. I
did and off it came. I was so happy. Now I thought, was my life so boring that a can opener gave me a
thrill? I would have to do something about that.
If you go to QVC, you can probably get one of the can openers also. They are easy to use.
In my case, I can’t always predict what I need, how it works, or all the little problems that we sometimes think can’t be solved. But give it time, ask someone who knows, and it will work out.
Life has a way of sometimes being complicated, making you feel like giving up. But there’s always a solution. Find it…then be your smiling self again.
I’m smiling and all because of a can opener.
Till next time, be safe.
“The Right Age” is a weekly column written for senior citizens by 84-year-old Nan Donovan, who has lived in the Shenandoah Valley for 45 years. She has worked for newspapers, as well as radio and television stations, including WLCC. She moved to the Valley from Pennsylvania.
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