I have met several people who have been a gift in my life, allowing me to know that there is life after midlife and that I can continue to reinvent myself at any age. Let me tell you about one such person.
Her name was Wallie Laflamme from Calgary, Canada and she was a master at the game of reinvention.
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Wallie faced every challenge with courage and optimism. Since allowance money was not available in Wallie's family, as a young teenager she joined her sister and two brothers to form a band. They earned their own spending money playing at school dances and community halls. This was a big help to her family surviving the challenging 30 's. When the band broke up, Wallie discovered that she loved working on women's hair colors and permanent waves, without the use of electricity. (Now that's a scary thought!)
On weekends you would find her demonstrating these new techniques at various hotels in Calgary, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Red Deer. Roux, the company, brought out the first shampoo rinse with color and she loved the product so much in fact, that she named her son after Mr. Roux. (Thank goodness it wasn't Clairol or Revlon).
Wallie made a move to Edmonton and opened a salon where she also taught cold waving and then a revolutionary technique for bleaching hair color and triple mats and at night you would find her hanging paintings in someone's home.
Wallie smashed through every glass ceiling by holding prestigious positions: President of the Brentwood Mall Merchant Association, President of the International Zonta Professional Business Women's Club, and adjudicator for the Western Art Auction at the Calgary Stampede, just to name a few.
After a stroke, two heart attacks and a triple by-pass surgery she finally retired at age 65. She did continue with her volunteer work but never did sit back in a rocking chair. She walked three to five miles every day, did aerobic exercise and enjoyed having friends over for relaxing dinners. She loved watching Dr Robert Schuler's "Hour of Power" on TV early Sunday morning and then going to attend services at her favorite Unity Church. Foch joined her in these activities as they turned their retirement into a long past due honeymoon. She then experienced her only failure in life - she failed retirement!
After attending a meeting where Dr Wentz, (founder of the Usana Health Science Corporation), described his vision of a healthy future for everyone, by using his cellular nutrition formula, she knew that her third career was about to take off.
Convinced that her remarkable health improvement was the direct result of these nutritional supplements, she became a walking poster child for good health. Beginning this new career at the age of 73, her example inspired many people to join her in a quest to "Live life to the fullest every day". This quickly multiplied into her becoming a Usana Gold Director which was the culmination of a seven decade successful business career.
Wallie did live a full life in every respect: always striving to enrich herself spiritually and intellectually, loving her work, and adoring Foch, Roux and Kippy.
Wallie's kindness, genuineness and depth of character continue to shine through to reach people everywhere who remember her for her sharing nature, no matter what the situation. Neither gender nor age was a factor that hindered her desire to be better, accomplish more, do the impossible or get to everything on her life's to-do list.
Wallie made a rare and noble contribution to everyone ' s evolving spirit. She set an amazing example of a reinvented life at any age and for those of us who knewand loved her--she graced our lives.
Wally passed away peacefully with her loving family by her side Friday, October 24, 2008 at the age of 85.
Wallies Story - A Story About Reinventing Yourself at Midlife Or at Any AgeTags : Baby Car Seat Stroller Travel System Mens Eau De Toilette Spray Nail Strengthener Treatment