Okay, [Clara] was incredible! She was happy, coherent, and sweet – and 97. She will have lived 98 years come this December 29. Her fingers were gnarled by arthritis, but she didn’t complain much. She has 30 grandchildren – eight children.

Talking with these older adults throughout the day makes me think that family should probably be more important to me than it is. She mentioned that back when she was dating her late husband, they would go out once a week – not like today’s daters who see each other practically all the time. They dated for three years; she got married when she was 19. She never had a wedding ring or engagement ring as she is Mennonite and thus doesn’t wear jewelry.

Clara has memorized several, if not dozens of poems and can recite them with the sort of style and emotion that rivets the listener. She’s not sure where she learned them, maybe from school. Today she recited for us James Russell Lowell’s The First Snowfall.

Clara also told us about her neighbor, Grace. Grace does Clara’s laundry because Clara can’t reach well into the machines. Grace’s reputation is that she really helps and cares for a lot of people. What a beautiful thing to be known by. We met Grace later. She was a bit hard of hearing, but otherwise humble and sweet. Basically I loved seeing these two women who had aged gracefully – who did not complain, who were happy, who had stories to share.