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| Mine is the final chapter in this delightful book edited by two retired JMU professors. |
As someone in the final quarter of his life, I was glad when Bob Bersson gave me an invitation to write some reflections on growing older for a book he and his friend Jack Greer were putting together.
Working on my essay, which was chosen as the last chapter in the book, turned out to be good preparation for what could have been a last chapter of my life. In July of 2019, soon after I had submitted it, I had to have open heart surgery, and then in November had a tumor removed in my parotid gland which turned out to be malignant. Fortunately, after 33 radiation treatments, I was given a clean bill of health, but have been blessed with a growing awareness of my own mortality and of the preciousness of life itself.
Local readers may recognize the names of many of the contributors to this $9.99 book. It can be ordered from Amazon, but an autographed copy can be purchased at OASIS Fine Art and Craft at 103 South Main Street in Harrisonburg.
Table of Contents
Prelude: “Encounters,” Anita Zehavi
Life Stories: “Grateful Dead-Heading,” Chris Bolgiano; “Dancing with Cancer,” Martha Woodroof; “The Crack in Everything” and “Fireflies and Us,” Chris Edwards; “All My Monsters Are Dead or I Love Being Old,” Betty MacDonald; “Journey to the Self I Never Knew,” Luanne Austin.
Transition to Retirement: “Becoming a Retiree: A Sociologist Looks at Retirement,” Steve Gibbons; “Pursuing a Life Well Lived,” Rich Harris; “Living Deliberately!”, Cheryl Lyon; “Get a Dog,” Harold Pearse.
Empowerment through the Arts: “Playing through My Fears,” Robert Bersson; “The End of the Line,” Jack Greer; “I’m an Old Woman,” Barbara Martin; “I’m Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” Tom Arthur.
Empowerment through Physical Pursuits: “Riding Over the Hill,” Elaine Hurst; “Play a Game that Makes You Dance,” Cora Beth Abel; “Hiawatha: Never Too Late to Earn a Trail Name,” Dave Pruett.
Reflections on Aging: “Reflections on Aging,” Robin McNallie; “Aging Lessons from the Fruit of the Vine,” Larry and Donna Barber; “Better with Age,” Ruth Jost; “Getting Mellow with Age,” Arlene Wiens; “The Circle of Love Is Ageless,” Jim Moloney; “My New Project,” Betty Reiser; “Traveling through the 70s,” Sally Goldberg.
Encounters: “I’ve Got to Admit [Some] Things Are Getting Better,” Amy Brook Snider; “Nine Years in Egypt: An Expanded Worldview,” Lee Yoder; “Facing History: 1920s Lynchings in Ocoee, Florida,” Kristin Congdon.
Coda: “The Final Yes,” Harvey Yoder.
Here's a link to a YouTube of some readings from the book, including "The Final Yes":
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