*

On Saturday, my partner Rebecca and I were hiking in Palisade park, a few blocks from our Decorah home.

The park is full of mountain bike and hiking trails.

We selected the Smeby Trail, ranked advanced, with an elevation of 872 feet.

Along Smeby, we met this car with Buick Eight on its grill.

Wikipedia tells me Buick made the Eight from 1940 through 1958.

Maybe my new friend and I share a birth year, 1949.

Years ago, someone abandoned him.

Put him out of sight because he was no longer any use.

Except as a reminder of what can happen when others define our value.

*

Lately I’ve been wondering whether in 10 years I will be able to do something I’m doing now.

Examples:

Yesterday I carried four bags of 40 pound salt crystals for the water softener into our house and down into the basement.

Last week a colleague and I finished teaching a Life Long Learners course that met for three hours, on four Wednesdays.

In a few hours, Rebecca and I will do a 45 minute kettlebell workout.

What about advanced hiking trails?

I think society prods me to wonder whether I’m soon to be too old to do those things.

My Buick friend shows me where this leads.

*

Someday I will become a human version of this abandoned Buick Eight.

Either above or below the earth.

For now, with yearly maintenance check-ups, regular oil & filter replacements, and an occasional glance under the hood, I should be good for another 100,000 miles.