Last week, while flipping through my high school’s alumni magazine, I happened upon an obituary for a man I’d never heard of and never met. Nevertheless, the details of his life story interested and then inspired me.
This gentleman – John – died on December 21, 2009 at the age of 101. But it wasn’t just his impressive age that caught my attention.
He graduated from Harvard and earned a master’s degree at Middlebury. Impressive too, but not riveting.
For 33 of his 101 years, he taught high school French at another New England prep school, interrupting his career only to serve in the Signal Corps of the Army in World War II. He was celebrated as a teacher by his students and colleagues. Again, fine enough.
But what really stopped me in my tracks was that this man signed a book contract and saw his first book published in 2008.
When he was 100 years old.
John didn’t start writing until he was 92 years old, at which point he began dabbling in poetry and self-published a volume of his work. A few years later he became the oldest first-time author published in U.S. history.
A 100 year old rookie writer.
Last Friday, I posted a quote that I came upon in a different place and I couldn’t figure out why it resonated so strongly with me. But then I thought again this weekend of John, of dreams and dreaming, of unimagined destinations. Of a wide and full – and long – life.
I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
-Diane Ackerman
Rest in peace, John. From one Pelican to another.
What do you imagine you’ll be doing at age 100?
Image: Grubbs Quadrangle Loomis by Marycforrester via Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons license.
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
A lovely story about a man that lived a full life. It also allows us to dream that it’s never too late to create and to accomplish what we set out to do. I love “from one Pelican to another” :) and I love your quote!
Now that. Is inspiring. I love it. Thank you for passing it on…
Maybe there’s hope for us 50-somethings?
When I gave up my career to stay home with my kids, I knew I was doing the right thing. Now I have nearly grown kids and I feel time is running out to make my mark. Tick, tock.
Well, with this precedent you’ve got 40-something years (at least) to do it. Then again, I’d say raising four boys and having a medical degree are marks of their own. (The good kind.)
Oh, how I love this. It’s never ever too late to become who we are.
What a fabulous, inspirational story! Nice to know that you can still persevere and achieve what you set your mind to – at any age. At least, given the right circumstances. (I wonder, did “John” drink, smoke, and live a wild life on the side?)
At 100, I’d like to be around in reasonable mental and physical health, enjoying my great grand kids, and a younger man. 70ish would probably do. (Hopefully he’ll appreciate my shoes.)
:)
You crack me up. I’m not so sure a 70 year old gentleman could keep up with a 100 year old you.
And I also wondered about John’s life after retiring from teaching and before becoming a writer. It seems like he had about 25 years in between careers. Apparently he was doing something interesting to collect material for his book, perhaps the “wild life” you referred to.
I love reinventing myself. In my mid-forties I’m learning about snow skiing in earnest, consistently making a fool of myself. Maybe when I’m 100 I could try the water variety for a softer landing…
Thanks. this is truly a kind thought to put into my brain.
Inspiring!
Someone else, I forget who, posted that quote this week too and I absolutely love it, it is definitely a philosophy we should all live by.
Well, getting published at the age of 100, that gives me hope and a few years left in which to achieve my goal :-)
I figure at 100 I will have taken over Hugh Hefner’s empire and will laugh at the horrible comments that people make about my four girlfriends and I. ;)
LOL. Be sure to share that information with your wife, Jack. ;)
Absolutely. Wouldn’t be fun otherwise.
He did live a full life. I am sure that when I reach that fine age I will not be writing books. : )
I LOVE this—gives much hope to the very late bloomers… not only about “publishing” but about lives richly lived. Here’s to the here and now, forever rookies.
Wow, that’s so impressive. Just goes to show you that you are NEVER too old.
Wow. That IS an accomplishment, being published at 100. Also, I love the quote you shared. I must write it down!
John just made my day.
Wow! What a dose of inspiration – thank you for sharing, Kristen.
What a wonderful story. I have to say, that I only want to be around at 100 if I’ able to still accomplish things like he did. Because I think to be alive and UNABLE to still pursue things, and enjoy that that you love, would be too sad. Life is only worth living, if you can truly live it. Like John did, right to the end.
This is something I think a lot about as life expectancies get longer and longer. I don’t want to be alive just for the sake of not being dead. Like you, I want to really keep on living until the end, whenever that is. I guess that’s asking for a lot.
I hope to be writing and running (well, okay, hobbling) and reading and enjoying my family. And maybe crocheting, if I can ever figure out how to do it. And maybe some algebra, too, just for kicks. =>
I don’t think I’ll have as great of longevity as John did but the fact that he believed in himself and didn’t see his age as any barrier to having new hopes and dreams truly is inspirational! Puts my whini g about being unpublished at 50 in a somewhat different light! I guess I could just have 50 more years to go…
My goodness! I just hope, should I be blessed to reach such a ripe age, that I’ll still be living my life like that. I’m sure I won’t be publishing a book, but to know that it’s still worth contributing and just living. Beautiful!
Oh what a lovely story! I’d heard about a woman who had her first work published at 92 (a children’s book, I believe), but I hadn’t heard about this man.
If I make it to 100, I’ll hope to be writing still. If there’s anything I’ve ever found difficult to make time for, it’s that. I can hope for children, grandchildren, friends, good health, all the wonderful things that are likely to enter at some point in the course of one’s life. But to be able still to write and to honor that passion — if it feels hard now without children, grandchildren, etc., I know it’s not going to get easier as those come!
Adore Diane Ackerman. And wise women everywhere!
At 100, I hope I’m growing a garden (and decidedly not a house).
I’ve just discovered Diane Ackerman. Anything particular to recommend, Leslie?
I adore Diane Ackerman. And that quote. It has stuck with me all these years. Living the width of it. And what that means, oh what that really does mean. It is not something I apply just to a lifetime, either, but to a minute and an hour. Of course, I fail more often than not, but I give myself a nod for at least remembering, taking it to heart, trying time and time again. That has to count for something.
John’s Story–there it is, right? The uncanny inspiration we find in the moments of other people’s lives. I keep wondering what I’d find if I just searched a little harder.
That’s it. I’m coming to the Midwest. Put on some coffee, send the kids out with the sitter. Get comfy. :)
The coffee is on, girl. The sitter’s on her way. Just get over here!
What an inspiring story! I think that we should step outside our comfort zones as often as we can, to try new things, to experience life differently. In that way, you make the most of each year, whether its 67 or 100+.
Very inspiring. Nothing like a little hope for all writers, no matter where we are in the process.
That is impressive to be writing at that age. My focus at 100 will be breathing and probably still trying to catch up on my blog reading.