In the light, in the comforting warmth of family and friends, the world can seem like one big rainbow. The beginning of a new day is your pot of gold. Its ending your promise of tomorrow.

For some of our elderly, though, the world is a cold and lonely place. As loved ones and friends pass and are born again into a new world, many of our senior citizens are faced with the prospect of an unfulfilling life. Their time on Earth drawing to a close, most of their hours are spent going about the day in a regimented fashion.

But what was once pleasurable quickly becomes a routine with no apparent reason. There's no husband to cook for or no wife to bring coffee to. The children are grown and gone and the sound of their little feet falling across hardwood floors echoes as a lonely memory. The grandchildren visit on the holidays, or worse, not at all.

For particularly social people life as a senior citizen with no one to talk to can be miserable.

But, thankfully, there are places to find friendship.

Adult education offers an outstanding way for our seniors to have a fresh and rewarding outlook on life and is something we, here at the Luverne Journal, proudly support. We agree with Senator Wendell Mitchell, who stated that "our elderly need a drive and a reason" for living.

Our county's adult education program provides just that.

In today's edition you will find a story on Seniors in Motion, an exercise class for the elderly which meets twice a week. That, however, is not all that's offered in Crenshaw County's Adult Education program.

Quilting classes start on Feb. 15 and are an excellent introduction to a timeless art. The class will last for six weeks and costs only $10 per individual. Eva Ray Adkison will serve as the instructor. For those seniors interested in learning about technology, computer classes will start on the same day with Leanne Taylor serving as the instructor.

The program plans on offering many other classes for seniors, according to director Laura Elliott.

As for the young, let's remember our older citizens. They are our past and at the same time our future. We'll all be in their shoes one day.

Probably the nicest gift someone can give a senior

is a friendly handshake or hug and a time set aside each week to visit. Our seniors our special. They deserve our recognition and support for all that they do and have done.