Evening star., 1941-01-26
STAYING YOUNG
by Maurice MaeteElinck

he paused to compliment him it, if he had idea that
he thought might benefit that mans business. say,
help housewife in her labors or make her garden pref
tier to see he gave it for what it was worth
OF friendship he spendthrift.
And so it was impossible to think of him old man.
He was young He had been young all his life, He
had never permitted the years to wither his mind, and
therefore in great part they had spared his body.
His one secret his unconquerable interest in life.
His second was simple On excursions to town merely
on walks along neighbong roads, his usual companion
was the little boy He never lost touch with childhood
1t was to this indeed that | think the Biblical patri-
archs owed their long, sound years. In that pastoral life
the family remained unit closely knit, no matter to
what size grew There always children around the
elders Children through whose they might see again
the wonder and beauty of the world through whose ques
tons they might find their far childhood
OR myself after my meeting with my old young friend,
took stock and swept the shelves realized that must
unburden myself of the precautions of old habit, the
poisons of resignation and fear Previously had crnged
before the prospect of journey thinking myself too old
to venture from my safe in the sun. had
resisted the friendly advances of younger people fancyng
that could be only trial to them. had shuddered at
facing unfamiliar things people, scenes ideas.
Now, in my determination and with that old man
before me as model, welcomed all these knowing that
only by welcoming them could live tried to touch life
with all my senses the blind iuminates his mind
by the blessed touch of his fingers the raised letters
For belief in life not fear of it, the very OF
youth Today listen to the roar of history it may
seem hard impossible at times to hold to ones belief
1t can be reaffrmed and renewed think, by things
close hand that scarcely them at ALL the chang
ing fields and trees the coors of first dawn and last
ming light, the child that plays next door.
l remember strange and lovely story friend once
told me. She and her husband had bought beautiful
villa in the South of France and they wished to share
their pleasure in it with their closest and dearest friends
They invited several spend the first week end with
them in the house They intended the guest of honor
to be my friends mother, of eighty and some
years. and they addressed most special invitation to her.
Despite her years. they knew the journey would not be
too much for her.
The old lady refused their invitation but in her refusal
think can be read the why at her venerable age
she was still alive and youthful and loved For she said
in her response that time before friend had given
her certain Oriental plant that every four years,
boomed into ndescribably beautiful flower. The little
bud of this flower swelling almost vsbly before
her eyes as she watched every day She could be with
her daughter and sonn-law again, but perhaps never
again could she the bud burst and flower; and if in
leaving she missed the spectacle of that blooming
she would have missed of the precious beauties of life
that beauty she could not sacrifice.
think that in the old adys eyes, they watched the
bud burst there have been something of that
geam of youth eternal that in the eyes of my old
farmer friend.
(Copyieh I94I, jacques Chambrun, Inc)