Catch-up conversations

I drove out do Dinas Powis this morning for coffee and a chat with Russell, a friend of ours through the Steiner school network. He turned ninety while I was away, and is remarkable lively and active in his engagement with life, limitations of age notwithstanding. We talk about philosophy and theology together, wondering about the path of human progress in these troublesome times, looking for signs of hope and creativity, marvelling together at the wonders of nature. 

We laughed at the co-incidence that both of us at the same moment, pondering on the priorities of life and its limitations as we get older, asked ourselves the question: 'I wonder what I'm meant to be doing next?' The implication is that we haven't forgotten what we're doing now, but are contemplating what the future holds for us. There's no waiting for rigor mortis. Until death intervenes, there are always new ideas to consider, new projects to be undertaken. Growing limitations don't rule out embracing whatever is there for us to enjoy and learn from. I enjoy our little chats.

Shortly after I arrived home, Clare's god-daughter Caroline and her daughter Sarah arrived for lunch on their way to visit a friend in Hereford, during a circular English tour centering on a visit to Caroline's mother Daphne recently moved into a care home in Devon. Sarah has just completed her first year as a medical student in Witwatersrand University, South Africa, where they live. It was a most enjoyable re-union. Sara was a shy adolescent when last I saw her. Now she is a confidence and strikingly attractive young woman embarking upon a challenging career. Who knows where it may lead her. We shall watch with interest.

In the mail today, a letter from the DVLA inviting me to re-apply for a driving license, now that my 70th birthday is but three months away. From hereafter, re-application has to be made every three years, and is dependent upon fulfilling certain medical requirements, voluntarily declared, regarding health and eyesight. The form is long, and bi-lingual, but it can be completed on-line. Not today however.