One Hundred Years of Wisdom

What started as a practical arrangement, rapidly developed into a highlight of my week. I soon found myself driving slower than usual, making no attempt to avoid construction, and stopping at yellow lights. I wasn’t being overly-cautious. I just wanted to lengthen the ride, continue the conversation.

Very quickly, I became fascinated with the way he brought history to life – the test that led him to officer’s training school during WWll, his memories as a high school student during the Holocaust, and the year John Delorean was one of his engineering students. I was eager for more stories about his beloved Marion – the proposal with a family ring and their subsequent sixty-five-year marriage. I couldn’t get enough of the many tales from his days in a cycling group, years in the church choir, and anecdotes about his numerous great-grandchildren.

When I tell people I have a friend who is a century old, they are curious. Diet? Exercise? Good genes?  

From what I can tell, it doesn’t appear to be any of those things. Nobody in his family has experienced his longevity. He isn’t excessive about fitness, and as far as diet goes, I’ve noticed he very much enjoys beer and dessert.

I think Bud’s secret is engagement. At 100, he continues to be interested in the world and its people. He’s still dazzled by Christmas lights and the first flower to poke through frozen earth in the spring. He still offers a smile and kind word to every stranger he passes. He’s still taking in new information and changing his mind when warranted. He lives fully in the moment at hand until life takes him to the next.

Bud is teaching me what constitutes a well-lived life. Watching the way he invests his time, shows me how to wisely spend mine. Although his career has resulted in many admirable achievements and accolades, he knows the good stuff isn’t found in praise or possessions. His true treasures are his relationships - with God and the people entrusted to his care.

Bud reminds me where to direct my energy and when to let go of the things that won’t ultimately matter. After weeks of lamenting to him over the perfect shade of sage to paint my house, he offered an observation. “You know,” he said with a wink and a smile, “in the scheme of things, this really is a very minor dilemma.”  I immediately chose a color and haven’t thought about it since.  He has shown me time is a limited resource not be wasted on insignificant decisions.

With grace, humor, and humility, Bud has changed the way I see the world.  He has encouraged me to seek connection and adjust my gaze toward beauty, wonder, and curiosity.