Energy, Enthusiasm, and Enlightenment, at Age 90!

Meet Alex. I am using his real name because he deserves recognition. Sometimes I use fake names to protect the innocent.  He's actually 91 and  an example for all of us. I met him for lunch to see what makes him tick and here's his story:

He began with these words "I have had an incredible life. I have gone from being very sensitive about what people thought of me to learning to be confident, and realizing that I wanted to make a difference in the lives of other people."

He was born in December of 1920 and says he had wonderful parents. He didn't get much in the way of a formal education but he sure went far in life. There are a number of things that he says benefited him greatly with elocution lessons being high on the list. Learning to speak clearly and confidently  really gave him poise in any setting. As well, joining the drama club at school and acting in theatre productions after school increased his courage and really taught him how to read and  memorize.

As well, joining the YMCA in his home town of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was one of the best things he ever did. He's been a life long member and was recently awarded a lifetime membership for his years and years of dedication to a healthy existence.  I learned that on his 90th birthday, the "Y" said to him, "Alex, you don't need to pay anymore, just keep coming".

So he does! He works out three times a week, stretching to keep limber and using the rowing machine for at least 20 minutes each time he goes.  He also uses the elliptical training machine.  He doesn't have time to do much swimming now but he used to and as if that wasn't enough, he told me that at one time had been good at gymnastics and mentioned that for over 30 years he was a jogger!

In his professional life success was his, selling life insurance. In the beginning, "fear of poverty", kept him going but not long into his career, he realized the importance of keeping healthy so he could reap the rewards of living a long time. His friendliness and honesty brought him many clients and working for a good company kept the commissions coming. It appears that he was obviously financially savvy and is now enjoying a good life in retirement.

What else has he done?  He's volunteered. He's given back. Through his church and through service organizations. He was in the Rotary Club for nearly 30 years and he was a member of the United Way.  Something was missing though, if you can believe it! (His words, not mine) and he discovered through prayer and reflection, that it was a deep longing to assist people in a spiritual capacity. Alex's quest to make a difference in people's lives brought him to volunteering in the Spiritual Care Department at our local hospital filling the void that he had felt.  As a result, he has become passionate about Spiritual Care. I met him as a fellow volunteer at least ten years ago. I have always been impressed by him as have others in the hospital. Here's one gem though that I hadn't heard from him until now. "Gail," he said, "I have sat and listened to people who are in real pain, and it's not just physical pain, and through this I have learned to listen and I have listened to learn."Alex then added, "my son told me that's what I needed to do and so I have put it into practice."

My friend Alex hasn't always had an easy life but he acknowledges that without hardship, there is no growth. He always kept his optimism and he's always known that he has to make the most of his life on this earth.  He's been a good provider, a good father and a wonderful husband.  Right now, he has made some choices that haven't been easy. He'll be making a major move to be closer to family. His lovely wife has some health challenges and it means that they will have to move in order to  have some supports in place but he meets this challenge with practicality and wisdom.

I didn't doodle while I listened to Alex, but rather I made some notes on paper about his appearance: -Neatly cropped beard and -he's wearing Tilley (brand of shirt) and I jotted some of his words of wisdom like "Live today, this is the only life you have" and "enjoy every minute".

Always ready to learn something new, Alex bought himself a computer in his 80's and he emails, websurfs, and is a fan of my blog! A lover of books, he enthusiastically recommends his current favorite: "Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The path of insight and meditation"  by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield.

Alex Ramsay is still learning and eagerly passing on wisdom, exemplifying the body, mind, and spirit of which we are made,  nourishing all those dimensions and inspiring us to live happily to a ripe ol' age.