Class Note 1951
Issue
March-April 2020
What does an especially good day look like to a 90-year-old? I talk frequently to my ’51 classmates as I gather material for these columns, and this is a frequent topic of our conversations. It inspires me to learn of the purposeful ways in which these longtime friends are going about making every day the very best it can possibly be.
Sometimes, sadly, serious illness adds urgency to these choices. Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters at the End, speaks of helping dying patients focus on “what would be wonderful” besides just living longer. He describes his young daughter’s terminally ill piano teacher, whose wish and great joy in her final weeks was to continue her teaching. In doing so, she delighted in sharing memories, passing on wisdom, connecting with loved ones, and making some last contributions to the world.
Fortunately, Jean and I are both well and still living rich, full lives. But we do spend time most days thinking together about “what would be wonderful” and doing all we can to make it happen. We are really intentional about arranging quality twosome times; connecting with special friends (including, in my case, my senior year roommates, Dick Halloran, Bob Hopkins, and Art Worden); spending time with our combined family, including “Grampa Days” with our 16-year-old twin grandsons; and visiting Wrigley Field for Cubs games.
I’d love to hear about your best possible days!
It was a pleasure to learn about one such day in a recent phone visit with George Biggs. He described his 90th birthday celebration, at which he was joined by family and four special friends who had especially enriched his life. He delighted in the opportunity to tell each of these friends how important they have been to him, especially in the aftermath of the death of his wife, Jean, in early 2019.
In addition to Jean Biggs, we have learned of the deaths of Jim Balderston, Willard Jones, Chuck Ryan,and Ruth Worden, Art’s wife.
—Pete Henderson, 450 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201; (847) 905-0635; pandjhenderson@gmail.com
Sometimes, sadly, serious illness adds urgency to these choices. Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters at the End, speaks of helping dying patients focus on “what would be wonderful” besides just living longer. He describes his young daughter’s terminally ill piano teacher, whose wish and great joy in her final weeks was to continue her teaching. In doing so, she delighted in sharing memories, passing on wisdom, connecting with loved ones, and making some last contributions to the world.
Fortunately, Jean and I are both well and still living rich, full lives. But we do spend time most days thinking together about “what would be wonderful” and doing all we can to make it happen. We are really intentional about arranging quality twosome times; connecting with special friends (including, in my case, my senior year roommates, Dick Halloran, Bob Hopkins, and Art Worden); spending time with our combined family, including “Grampa Days” with our 16-year-old twin grandsons; and visiting Wrigley Field for Cubs games.
I’d love to hear about your best possible days!
It was a pleasure to learn about one such day in a recent phone visit with George Biggs. He described his 90th birthday celebration, at which he was joined by family and four special friends who had especially enriched his life. He delighted in the opportunity to tell each of these friends how important they have been to him, especially in the aftermath of the death of his wife, Jean, in early 2019.
In addition to Jean Biggs, we have learned of the deaths of Jim Balderston, Willard Jones, Chuck Ryan,and Ruth Worden, Art’s wife.
—Pete Henderson, 450 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201; (847) 905-0635; pandjhenderson@gmail.com