The glory of young men is their strength,  And the splendor of old men is their gray head. 
                            — Proverbs 20: 29
                        

Paloma slipped into her mustard oxfords and flung her work satchel over her shoulder.  

"Mamà, I'm off!" She yelled from her place by the door. 

"Okay, sweetie! Have fun!" Elena's called back from the kitchen. 

"I will!" Paloma slipped out of the front door and cascaded down the steps. She stopped in front of the driveway debating whether to walk or drive her bike. After some deliberation, she chose the former. 

The wind whipped at her hair, she pushed a few straying strands to the back of her ear. She sent a smile to everyone she passed—strangers and friends. 

She kicked at the pebbles that blocked her path. A smile split on her lips as a cool breeze slapped her face. Such elements of nature always brought her some form of joy.  

One of her favorite pastimes was to dig her feet in the wet sand at the beach and to swim in the coolness of the water. 

Lago De Paz suddenly flew to mind and she grinned wider. The Lake of peace lived up to its name. She had always found a calmness by sitting at the edge, watching the crystal blue water. 

She decided then that in the days to come, she will take a trip there for a breather. 

Finally, she stalled in front of the ebony gate that stood as security for Steeelfort's old people's home. 

"Afternoon, Mr. Frederick!" She waved at the middle-aged security officer. 

"Afternoon, Miz Paloma!" He sent her a sleepy smile. A permanent feature on his face. 

The gates swung open and the moss green grass in the lawn welcomed her. It was trimmed to perfect evenness. It always look so clandestine, Paloma wondered if it had ever been walked upon. 

She shook her head at the thought and chuckled at the absurdity of it. Gravel crunched under her feet as she ambled down the driveway up to the front entrance of the building. 

A sparkling white door that was covered with glass from the middle up greeted her. The doorbell chimed as she pressed it. Her hand fell to the side as she waited to be received.  

"Hello there!" A grinning face appeared as the door was pulled open. 

"Afternoon, Ms. Maddie." She sent a smile to the plump woman dressed in pink scrubs.  

"Come on in!" The woman opened the door wider. "The women are sitting in the lounge." 

"Thank you!" Paloma smiled and stepped inside the brightly lit room. A staircase covered in beige carpet led to the resident's rooms. And downstairs served as a kitchen, dining room, and lounging area. 

Paloma strode down the hallway leading to the lounge area.  The periwinkle and lilac wallpapers that covered most of the walls filled the house with a form of brightness and warmth. 

"Hello, Ladies!" Paloma announced her presence to the older women who were engrossed in reading and some needlework. 

Five faces turned to her and a happy grin formed on their lips. 

"Come here, dear! We all have been anticipating your arrival." The elder woman at the beginning of the couch stretched out a hand. 

Paloma drew closer. "I am glad to hear that, Ms. Allie." She squeezed her hand and beamed. "How's the knee?" 

"Still arthritic as ever!" 

Paloma sent her a sympathetic smile. "Well, no need to worry, my special aloe vera balm will do the trick." 

"I am sure it would! You have been such a blessing." 

Paloma's eyes swelled with joy. "It is all the Lord's doing." 

She turned to face the other women who were spread across the cream L- shaped couch. She went to each woman, squeezed their hands, and asked about their health.  

The last woman, however, refused to let her go.  "Hmmm, you need to eat more, child! Look at your cheeks, they need to be fuller." She clucked and her eyes scanned Paloma's body like a butcher calculating how much he should pay the hunter for the meat. 

Paloma smiled as she repeated her usual response. "I will see what I can do, Ms. Moore." She slipped out from the woman's strong grip when she got distracted. 

"Poor thing! Ever since her mother's accident, the little thing has been shouldering all the responsibilities of the shop." She turned to Ms. Allie. "I pray God gives her the strength to keep going." 

Paloma's cheeks puffed up as she swallowed an amused laugh as Ms. Moore spoke like she wasn't present. 

"Thank you for the prayers, Ms. Moore. I really need it," Paloma said with all the sincerity she could muster. 

"Goodness gracious!" The woman suddenly gasped and stared at Paloma with shock. "Child, you scared me. When did you come?" 

"A few minutes ago,"  Paloma said with her smile intact. 

"Oh really? I didn't see." She turned to her side. "Why didn't you tell me she had come, Brenda?"

"Because you would forget immediately. And I am not Brenda, I am Allie!" 

Paloma stood by the side with a soft smile as she watched the women bicker among themselves. Something she enjoyed on her regular visits. People have called her weird for enjoying the company of old women who suffered from dementia, Alzheimer's, and various illnesses that come with old age. 

What many didn't understand is that she cherishes the words of wisdom they bestowed on her in the form of their life experiences. 

After some more rounds of bickering between the women, Paloma broke them up to administer their treatments. 

Minutes flew past as Paloma massaged the legs of Ms. Allie with her aloe vera balm, she gave two of the women their regular dosage of cinnamon powder for their diabetes and she gave the remaining women their dosage of cardamom powder to control their blood pressure.

"How's it going?" Nurse Marilyn slipped in and asked. 

"I am done!" Paloma grinned in satisfaction. She placed her various bottles and jars into her satchel. 

"What is that paper?" A voice suddenly asked.  

Paloma turned to see what had gotten attention and was surprised to see that the eyes of everyone in the room were gazing curiously at something that lay beside her feet. 

She bent and picked up the paper. Realization quickly dawned on her. It was the petition that had apparently fallen from her bag. 

How come it was in her bag? She wondered. 

In a fit of disappointment after the church members shunned her, she decided not to take the petition around with her.  Her eyes furrowed in bewilderment as she gaped at the paper.

"What's it, dear?" Ms. Allie's voice drew her back to reality. "Does it belong to you?" 

Paloma's nerves itched with apprehension. "Yes, it's mine." Her voice sounded strange to her. She folded the paper and proceeded to tuck it in her bag. However,  another voice stopped her and she turned.   

"I don't mean to be nosy, but what does it contain?" Ms. Sue looked at her from the top of her dark-rimmed glasses. Her doe eyes looked larger than normal. 

Paloma swallowed a lump, unable to find her voice. 

Where are you going with this, Lord? 

Is this a glimmer of hope that I may get more support? 

Suddenly, like flitting lightning in a thunderstorm, Psalm 32: 8 drifted into her mind. 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Her lips raised in a smile and her heart cried out. 

Thank you, Lord! 

She turned back to the conversation. 

"Stop it, Sue! It is not good to prod into her business." 

"I know that. But something  laid it upon me to ask." She placed a hand on her chest. "You don't have to answer the question, dear! Don't mind me." She turned to Paloma with a smile. 

"It's no problem, ma'am. I have no problem answering." She sent the woman a polite smile and unfolded the paper. "This paper is a petition I put together to stop the deforestation of El bosque curativo."

Gasps and words of surprise filled the room. She gazed at the words of the petition in black ink. Fear stopped her from looking at the women. She didn't want to face another bout of disappointment. 

After a while, the murmuring and exclaiming died.  And the silence that loomed suffocated her. She braced herself for the long line of scolding she would get. 

However, what happened next shattered her preparations.

"That is very commendable, dear!" A gentle voice broke the tension. "It's courageous of you to try and stop the government from doing something so awful. I am proud of you."

Paloma looked at Ms. Allie who had a soft smile playing on her lips.  

"Thank you, ma'am! I am glad you see it that way." She sent the woman a grateful smile. 

The woman's smile grew wider. "Is there any way I can pitch in?"

"Yes, there is!" Paloma's heart swelled with joy. "All you need to do is sign." She raced to the woman and handed her the petition. Her smile didn't waver as the woman scribbled her signatures in one of the boxes. 

"Here, all done!" The older woman produced a toothed grin. "What about you, Lorrie?" She turned to her companion on the left. 

"Count me in!" She snatched the paper and penned her signature in the next box. "It has always been my lifelong dream to rebel against the government." Two dimples popped on her freckled cheeks as she produced a mischievous grin and handed Paloma the paper. 

Paloma uttered a thank you and sent her a thankful smile. 

"Don't forget me!" Ms. Sue chimed from the end of the couch. 

"Definitely not." Paloma bounced over to her and gave her the paper. She couldn't have smiled wider as she watched another box get filled. 

"Thank you!" Gratitude shone in her eyes. 

"You are welcome, love! I knew you were special the first time I met you."

Paloma's cheeks turned red and she ducked her head. "Thank you; It's all the Lord's doing."

"What about me?" A quiet voice said. 

Paloma turned to face Ms. Brenda who was quiet and also the youngest in the group. Paloma smiled, ambled over, and handed her the paper. She watched the woman take her time in writing each letter with precision. 

"Thank you so much!" She told the woman a few minutes later. 

"You are welcome! May it yield success." The woman sent her a smile. 

Paloma uttered another thank you and sauntered off. Her cheeks hurt from all the smiling she had been doing. Another voice stopped her as she reached her bag. 

"Well, I guess since everyone is signing, I should too." Ms. Moore said from her place on the couch. "Bring me the paper, child." 

Paloma schooled a scowl at her tone and name for her. She was no naughty child. She trudged to the woman with less enthusiasm. A grimace formed on her face as the woman snatched the paper from her. She rubbed a sore spot on her arm where she felt a tight pull from the force. 

Annoyance boiled within her but she held herself and turned away. 

"Goodness gracious!" The woman suddenly shrieked in a loud voice. "Oh snap." 

The eyes of everyone flew to her. 

"What is wrong now?" Ms. Allie asked with a tint of irritation in her voice. 

"Oh no!" She clasped her forehead and gave a dramatic sign. "I can't remember my signature." 

Paloma's brows furrowed in disbelief. 

"Then I guess we just have to wait for you to remember." Ms. Allie leaned back in her seat with a twinkle in her eyes. 

Ms. Moore huffed and turned back to the paper. 

Everyone shared a knowing look. Ms. Moore took pride in being snarky, dramatic, and difficult. And her talent was to make a fuss about everything. 

Paloma's patience began to wear off as the minutes went by. Her string of constraint was about to snap when the woman announced. 

"Oh yes, I remember it now!" 

"Then sign it!" The other women chorused. 

Paloma watched as she bent over and scribbled something illegible. She dismissed it and thanked God for the signatures. 

"Thank you, ma'am." She offered a charming smile as she collected the petition. 

The woman stuck out her button nose. "I did you a favor just so you know." 

Paloma resisted the urge to roll her eyes. So she said, "I thank you for that, ma'am." She gave a curt nod and marched off before she could respond. 

She heaved a tired but satisfied sigh as she opened her bag to tuck away the petition.  However, Ms. Allie's voice halted her. 

"Wait a minute! Nurse Marilyn, won't you sign? Won't you stand with us?" 

Paloma turned to face the boxy nurse that leaned against the door with her arms crossed. 

"No, ma'am. As much as I commend your actions, I will not be engaging in such foolishness." Her eyes grew cold. 

Paloma inhaled sharply and her eyes widened at the hostility. 

"What do you mean by that?" She found herself saying. Her jaw hardened as she stared at the nurse. 

The ice in the nurse's eyes melted a little. "I don't mean to insult your effort. But I see it as futile to try and change the government's mind." 

"And why do you say that?" Paloma's stance remained stiff. 

The nurse produced a half-smile. "Because the government will not spare anyone that is an obstacle in their path." She uncrossed her hands and let them fall at her side. "You are only causing trouble for you and your family."

                         ★★★★

Yippee! Paloma got more people to sign the petition. Praise God😁
Put on your dancing shoes and let's celebrate 💃😂

Anyway, what are your thoughts on the women?
(I find older people so cute😁)

And do you think Paloma and her family are in the danger because of the petition?

Please fill the comments section with your thoughts.

And also, before you go, don't forget to 👇

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God bless you. ❤

Until next time, spend some time with the elders around you. XD