Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-20
BY THE VERY REV.
RAIMUNDO de OWES

RAIMUNDO de OWES
ATLANTA, Ga, Feb. 20 (P).
Eleven years ago I retired,
voluntarily, as Dean of the
Cathedral of st. Philip in At
lanta, Ga. l was in good health,
acceptable to my parish. and
loved my work most heartily.
However. the work had grown
too much for a man of 70 years.
I had published three sue
cessful books, and written a
column daily on the editorial
page of the Atlanta Journal for
a number of years, and a few
magazine articles. My aSsocia-
ton with the Atlanta Journal
was terminated shortly after
my retirement.
What to do now? Literary
work?
That was not enough after
a very active career in the
church.
I concentrated on what had
been a hobby. that of assisting
in sociological projects. This
assuaged a restless energy for
a while: but it was sporadic,
without official relationship
with any of the organizations
involved; so I undertook COL
umn on the editorial page of
the Metropolitan Herald of At
lanta. a weekly. This paper has
been publishing my series Dear
DRINKS" and will put it into
book form when completed.
! was still restless, wanting a
closer relationship with people,
to which I had been accustomed
for so years: my particular.
and bestowed, labors being in
the field of pastoral counseling.
] had always had a tremendous
interest in people, but as indi-
viduals. To this owe my being
named the first member of the
staff of the Georgian Clinic, for
alcoholics. set up by the State
of Georgia which had acquired
the beautiful Al acre Gambler
Estate" and the huge mansion
on the property.
Dismisses Heart Attack
January 8, 1857. was my 80th
birthday, and while counseling
with the last of a group of al
coholicS, I suffered coronary
occlusion and was rushed to a
hospital where l remained only
two weeks and returned to
work. The most annoying as
pect of this recovery is that
other members of'the staff now
constantly caution me to take
it easy" as though I were an
old man!
I do not feel old, at any
time. Experienced" would be
the more accurate word; be-
cause one must live to learn;
or to be able to modify ones
beliefs" appropriately to new
evidence and knowledge. If we
aged folk cannot do so. it is
not surprising when youth
takes over in our stead.
Besides, accurate knowledge
and skills are always at a
premium whatever our age. 1t
is my conviction that "age"
has no other legitimate author
ity than knowledge, ability and
good Judgment and that age in
itself is not worthy of venera-
ton. 1t should, however, have
filial devotion.
The aged owe something to
youth, also: selfless interest,
sharing wisdom, faith in them,
announcement, ambition for
them, absence of any feeling OF
competition but rather the
spirit of cooperation.
Success Through Belonging
When the aged meet their
obligations to youth they never
grow "old," even to young
people. They remain young"
since "old" is a comparative
term. after all.
The preceding does not take
into account invalidism in the
aged. Although experiencing
serious illnesses, such as typhoid
fever, pneumonia three times,
broken bones (even to a frac-
tured skulD there were COM
plete recoveries and no pro-
longed invalidism. The question
arises. is not a large percentage
Of "invalidism" in old people
mostly a state of mind?
Personally. / have never
cared growing old. 1t seems
more OF a triumphant achieve
Inent. Obeying hygienic prin-
ciples is likely to curtail or
horten physical discomforts
nd an adequate philosophy OF
life can minimize anxiety in
most situations and instances.
IN my own case. the greatest
compensation for and comfort
about growing old is being made
to feel that l am needed, as
much now as at any other
period Of life; for this is
a greater satisfaction than
awards, recognition, reputation