Wonderful piece, Brian. Medical problems and physical pain have kept me from enjoying my old age in the way I had hoped to. It is a happy time and a sad time. Happy because, at this age, most differences fall away. Regardless of color, religion, etc., our lives are now about our health, our memories, our imminent death, and if we're lucky, our grandchildren. In that consciousness, there is simply no room for bigotry or hate. Those things become irrelevant. Aging is sad because, with a few exceptions, people have to approach the end of the line to reach that consciousness. I know very few people younger than myself who have willingly put down the (literal or figurative) gun. I guess our wisdom is wasted on the young. The upshot of all this, for me, is that my purpose is (and always was) to be kind and to try to ease the suffering of others. It's no more complicated than that.