I have always had a thing for old men.
When I was about six years old, I would hang out with Mr. Wyke at Burcham Hills Retirement Center. As I would enter the automatic doors, I would see his tuft of white hair brimming over the high back of his lobby chair. I’m not really sure what we talked about, but I loved his company.
He was calming to me.
Now, twenty years later when I am in Michigan, I return to Burcham Hills. My 95-year-old childhood neighbor Leroy is now a resident. An intellect and retired professor of Michigan State University, his mind never stops. We sit, talk and he reads an essay on the cap and trade bill or explains where our country is headed.
There is a wise calmness to him. A relaxed knowing.
This week I attended a writer’s conference. I went with friends who I consider real writers* and heard many great people speak. As I was listening to a lecture by Scott Cairns, I made a note in the back of my journal that said, “There is such a calmness to older people—often older intellects.” I wrote Scott Cairn’s name down and continued to add names of people who encompassed this calmness.
The calmness transcended their words at times. It was neither arrogant nor falsely humble. If I could pretend and bottle this relaxed knowing and calmness into three sentences, I imagine it would be something like this:
1) I have searched for truth and found answers.
2) I have searched for truth with no results.
3) I can rest because I have authentically searched for truth.
Oh how I long for this calmness to be part of my life…hopefully before I hit age 95.
A few quotes I enjoyed this week from lectures given by old, calm, secure men:
Scott Cairns on vocation…
“Pursuit of art becomes vocation when its devotion is pursuit of making something of attention, not just doing what you know. It’s wholehearted pursuit, less an expression of what is known, and more of knowing.”Eugene Peterson on the messiness of the Church…
“This is Christ’s church…He could have made it perfect so we weren’t an embarrassment to the world, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t mind being embarrassed.”Stephen Carter on the next generation’s lack of critical thinking and rhetorical training…
“We are strong in our convictions but we can’t defend it. And if someone disagrees, we are offended.”
*passed English class.
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Sounds like it was a great conference. I <3 Stephen Carter's quote . . . it's so true. We have become a culture of offense logical defense.
One of my favorite experiences was teaching a Senior Citizens Sunday School class one year. We had a blast!
I forgot about all of our visits to Burcham Hills when we were young. Oh the memories!!
Jenny: You don’t look a day over 17. (-: It was the Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College in Michigan. It was great.
Sheryl: That class sounds fantastic. I think we need to hear some stories from that class! Carter was amazing. I read his book Civility in college and loved it. He gave an amazing lecture on the need for tangible books and libraries and how that leads to a better democracy. Sounds like a stretch, but the lecture made so much sense. He is brilliant.
Megan: You should come back with me sometime. It still smells the same. (-:
i love old men as well. i especially love my old men that work out at the gym on base, harry and ben. it doesn’t get much better than retired old men. my favorite part is when ben falls asleep on a machine, he is 83 and is very tan with brilliant white hair (very oompa loompa-ish). harry is 86 and works out in his jeans and long sleeve shirt, it’s so cute. we have become good friends and it is so encouraging to see them almost every morning! they always encourage me when i am running and lifting weights. i hope to be like them when i am 83. i heart them.
I was at the opening session with Cairns. It moved me. His voice is like Scotch – deep, soothing, but dangerous. I love your post.
That said, I’ve been ruminating on Prof. Cairns words and the action of vocation and working at writing something for our blog…it’s been a journey.
One message of import, after emailing him regarding art as vocation, he actually said, art becomes vocation when its devotion is pursuit of making something of “attention.”
May change the meaning a bit, but not the authority or wisdom.
Evan – Let me know when you finish your piece on Cairns, I would love to read it. And thanks for the heads up, I made the change. I would like to blame the blunder on the fact that I agree…his voice IS like Scotch and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to listen to him or ask him to read me a bed time story.
p.s. saw your site, my brother is a film maker in Grand Rapids. He is fantastic (in my opinion) and you should contact him. http://www.motivitypictures.com
Your brother went to Compass. I know him well. I put the two together when I saw you in him your video. Ah, Dave.
Jenny thinks...
i like old people too. maybe cuz i am going to be one in less than five months (the big 4-0)
ok, what writers conference?
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