Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Wendell Berry, Harper Lee and Thoughts on Aging

Wendell Berry....a voice from my past, now to be honored by the President.

It's been many years since I've read one of his books. Right now, I am pretty bummed at the prospect of aging and watching people I love or have been in my life one way or another age.  I'm going through a mini-crisis, such as it is, as I approach the ripe old age of 60.

Wendell Berry passed that milestone a while ago.  (Another person to be honored, Harper Lee, passed it even longer ago than that.whose sister I knew just lost her sister this past week to Alzheimers.  I watch Alzheimer's (or something like it) rob a neighbor of his life, his wit, his memory.

Aging...you become so fragile.  It can be so very depressing knowing that I am watching what could be my fate.

But on the other hand....

What a wonderful thing, to have your lifes work influence so many people, to have your writings influence so many people.....and to live to see it.

I can only aspire to a fraction of what these two writers have accomplished....Wendell Berry with over 40 books....and Harper Lee-with just one.

Please someone....tell me that aging has an upside.  Because right now I can't see one, and that roll of toilet paper is unrolling faster....and faster....and faster.

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