PRESIDENT'S CORNER

      This is the 18th of these columns...can you believe it?  We are now 13 days from Thanksgiving, and it is Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13th would be a lot more frightening if Jason chased you down in a big SUV and made you pay to fill it up with gas. [Unknown]

     As we enter this annual season of Thankfulness, it makes much more sense to spend a little quality time reflecting on what we really do have to be thankful for than shopping, planning our November-December holiday party calendar, shopping, decorating the house, shopping, deciding on where we'll eat for the holiday and so forth.  But wait, where do I get an ugly Christmas sweater?

The old know what they want; the young are sad and bewildered. [Writer Logan Pearsall Smith].

     As it happens, Bonnie and I both turned 70 this year (she is 6 months my senior so I can get away with calling her my old lady).  This event has caused me to be thankful for being healthy and for having spent 46 years of my life with the world's best woman (sorry, ladies).  70 has also given me something to think about:  how old is old and what do we do when we catch it?  Around the turn of the 20th Century, many felt that living to three score and ten was about right, that 70 was about as long as a body need be present in this life.  Now, 70 is the new 50 or 60 and the docs can seemingly keep us going far beyond three score and ten.

     I plan to think deeply about this topic, maybe write something inspirational, but for now, all of us that have reached these old age milestones can rejoice in being an elder, a wisdom-keeper, a master-teacher, a faithful friend or mentor, a perfect spouse, or an example for the young.  Do you have secrets for being any of these things that you'd care to share?  You have my address Jim.Held@mail.wvu.edu, so please do feel free to share and I'll pass along your wisdom in this space.

     This week, we are all especially thankful for our men and women in uniform. Thanks to Angela, the events committee, and some enthusiastic student volunteers for making our Wednesday event a success.

Jim Held, President