Jean Sigloh, a retired Episcopalian priest, teacher, writer, vintner, cook, gardener and story keeper, lives in Virginia. In this paperback, she faces the reality of growing older and decides: "Instead of seeing myself as a victim of old age, being swept down the path by unseen forces, I'd like to see myself and all my older friends for who they really are: a people diminished in strength, but still standing tall with the sun warm against our face. Given a choice as to how to enter old age, I choose entering it with a 'yes.' "
Our experiences in the second half of life give us plenty of opportunities to dig deeper and to see more clearly. The author presents us with insightful essays on walking in the morning (some call it their "constitutional"), living the extended Sabbath of our retirement years, discovering fresh avenues of self-transcendence, getting rid of things and possessions we no longer use, savoring memories of the good old days, practicing the art of listening which may be "the last and best activity of life," and more interesting subjects.
In a beautiful essay on hummingbirds, Sigloh wishes she could be more like this slight creature:
"Of course, they only weigh 0.2 ounces so they're naturally nimble. We're not. We carry around a lot of excess baggage and over the years we've lost mobility. Limbs are less limber. Responses are slow, deliberate, painful."
This sturdy and creative book illustrates that going through old age with a "yes" can be a gratifying, even enlightening thing to do!
