I’m well aware that my perception of you is very limited in many ways, most of all by the fact that I’ve only known you for 11 years, about a tenth of your long, rich life. Nevertheless, I’m deeply impressed by what I see and can honestly say that you have profoundly changed my views on what it means to grow and be old.
I’ve never known anybody who has lived this long, let alone with such a presence and enduring interest in participating in the world. With you, there seems to be a “YES” to being old without giving in and without giving up. What I see is someone who loves life and, evidently, life is loving him back!
I’m deeply grateful for having met such a wonderful role model.
