I'm Not Too Old!
Nora adjusted the silk scarf around her neck and looked at her reflection in the café window. Sixty-two. Twice divorced. A mother. A grandmother. Now, she was sitting at a small round table at Café Valencia, waiting for a man she hadn’t seen in forty years.
It all began with a message on Facebook. Simple. Polite. "Are you the same Nora I used to share bus rides with after school?" The message was from Emeka, the boy who made her laugh with silly songs and crooked smiles. The boy who once held her hand under the mango tree behind the library.
At first, she replied cautiously, but soon it became easy. Their conversations became regular. Safe. Familiar. One afternoon, Emeka wrote, "Let me take you to coffee. If we’re too old for first dates, let’s call it a reunion."
Now, as she sat with her fingers tightly around her cup, her heart raced as if she were seventeen again.
"Nora?" a warm voice called from behind.
She turned. He was taller, of course. Grayer, certainly. But the smile was the same — wide, genuine, and a bit shy. Emeka.
"You came," she said, standing up.
"Did you think I wouldn’t?" he grinned.
"I wasn’t sure. It’s been a long time."
They sat down, and the conversation flowed as if time had stopped just for them. They reminisced about old teachers, missed opportunities, and the lives they had lived separately — the children, the heartbreaks, the dreams they had given up and the ones they still cherished.
"I always thought about you," Emeka confessed, his eyes softening. "I thought maybe I missed my chance."
"So did I," Nora replied.
A pause settled between them. Outside, the city buzzed, but inside the little café, it was just the two of them, two hearts reconnecting, recognizing something that never truly faded away.
"You know," she said with a smile, "people think romance is just for the young. All fireworks and foolishness. But I believe it’s sweeter now. Calmer. Deeper."
Emeka reached for her hand across the table. "So, you don’t...
She chuckled, a sound that made him grin even more. "No, Emeka. I’m not too old. And you’re not either."
As they walked out into the evening, the sun hung low, casting a golden light over the calm street. Emeka extended his arm, and she accepted it without a second thought.
This wasn’t the start of a youthful, reckless romance. It was something softer. More genuine.
And for the first time in a long time, Nora understood — love doesn’t have a shelf life. It simply waits, patiently, for the heart to be ready once more.
Do you really think so? Does love wait or you have to run after it? And what do you think about romance?
What can I say? I didn't wait for love and it got me anyway ;-)) I was 52 years old and happily living life to the full. I'm still there 8 years later, just not alone ;-))
Aww, this is sweet. I wish I didn't have to wait for love but waiting is just a long period to make wrong choices, so I think. I feel old age love feels saver and sweeter, isn't it?
It's a good thing you are not alone and after 8 years, it still feels rosy...
Oh, you know, I always liked being alone, I never imagined it any other way. Maybe it just happened to me BECAUSE I didn't wait, BECAUSE I wasn't looking... It's fine the way it is. Any other way would be good in an other way ;-))
Ya,,, I guess too much expectations keeps us in the waiting line, but you were so strong to prefer being alone and it came looking for you anyway.
Maybe I need to embrace this alone season of mine and enjoy it well.
Hi, I think we should run toward love. I love romance because it's beautiful memories that sweeten life. It's great to arrange dates with a special person and plan those encounters in very romantic or beautiful places. I always remember the walks with good company, and when I say goodbye to them, I always look forward to the next encounter.
Nice post, my lady. 😃
True my friend,,, but you also know that some love could be hurtful, I think the best thing is to find the true love in the right person. I love love and most times it comes from the wrong people that gets me scared to give in,, do you think I should give it a short? Or what's your opinion???
If love comes from the wrong person, then it should be seen as a fling, a fleeting love that
was very beautiful but had no future.
Finding the right person is ideal, but until then, we should enjoy fleeting loves.
Hahahaha, you sound more like you enjoy the fleeting love more. I just don't believe in that fling. Love is beautiful and it should last forever.
There is no age for love. As long as there is respect, good communication, affection and, above all, compatibility, everything is possible. What do the opinions of third parties matter in this regard? In the end it only matters what those involved think and consider, and if the desire and desire to be together are genuine, any difficulty can be overcome.
Maturity can bring stability, experience and depth because they already know what they want, what they are looking for and what they don't like, and of course, the sense of responsibility and loyalty will be greater... Well that's what I think.
It was a pleasure to read. The story is very well written.
I agree with you. At any age, anyone could find love and feel love, it all depends on the individuals involved. Love is sweet indeed.
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback