PRESIDENT'S CORNER - January 27, 2017
Back at ya! Did you miss me last week? So did I! Surgery went very well and recovery, as advertised, is rapid. I got to stay in the new wing of Ruby that has been designated as the Heart & Vascular Institute for treatment, the nurses were telling me, of a plethora of conditions related to cardiac/thoracic/vascular, etc. Apparently, they get a LOT of these kind of cases in WV. But as nice as it was, four and a half days there was enough, though I cannot speak highly enough of the doctors, nurses, student helpers, et al—there was not a one that was not patient, unfailingly good humored and helpful, especially the night I briefly passed out! It was all about trying the second time to install a new IV needle and I got too queasy!
I do have a funny story for you…the day after my surgery, I was kind of down and in pain and found myself shedding a tear or two until I could talk to Bonnie. Then, I thought to myself, here’s your Kindle with the Mahler 9th symphony that you have no quite finished listening to, so I put it on to the end and the next day, listened to the whole thing again. Hey, if you’re going to be sad, there are worse things to do but to put on a really, deeply sad and moving piece of music and letting it heal you, which it did.
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. [Albert Einstein]
The thing I was most upset about was the thought of missing this month’s Met opera, “Romeo et Juliette” by Gounod. I did miss the Saturday telecast but we did get to go Wednesday…wow! Remember what I said about the director in my last column? Well, this production was brought to us by Bart Sher, one of the great Broadway directors. He had a first rate cast and you could tell the cast and designers were all working on all cylinders and all going in the same direction—one of the best opera productions I’ve seen.
Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy…he’s born with the tragedy that he has to grow up. He has lost everything that is lovely and must fight for a new loveliness of his own making, and it’s a tragedy. A lot of people don’t have the courage to do it. [Actress Helen Hayes]
OLLI Connections: Props or kudos to Jae and the staff for putting out the new newsletter. A nice piece of work, eh?
Winter is here! The term, that is. I hope you have all signed up for the classes you wanted and that you are once again chatting up friends, learning new things, and continuing your growth as a lifelong learner. I am sorry there is no Jim class this term, but I had to take the time off so Bon and I could get through these medical things. Come March 1, Film Forum will be back, etc. I’ll be at the Writer’s Retreat, which is a great deal of fun, so if there are any writers out there, come by and participate.
Jim Held, President