Bonnie Robinson

Thank you very, very much Judi! A truly excellent essay that speaks to all of us who are turning into our 7th decade! I also agree with Holly and I, too, think your Dad is some kind of wonderful!

Janet Bos (Lefevre)

I loved reading this and found so many things that I can relate to.  Here have been my thoughts on turning 70 (in August).  When I was in eighth grade, my grandmother took me on Spring Break to the WindJammer Hotel Resort in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. When we were eating in the dining room,  a fortune teller came around to the tables and read our palms and told us about our life.  She looked at my life line and told me I would die in my early 60's and I believed it.  For all those years since then I thought my time was limited.  I knew I would never reach 70 and so I lived my life according to what I believed and took really good care of myself.

I chose to disregard the unpleasantries of elementary, junior high, and high school experiences that I had. It no longer became important to me. When I went off to college, I started anew and left behind all that I wanted to. When I attend some of the ETHS classmate monthly dinners and listen to conversations of fellow classmates about ETHS, I find myself saying.....why don't I remember that?  Maybe because I chose to not remember.

Well, now that I am still here, I don't mind telling people my age.  Instead of telling people that I'm in my late 60's, I tell them that I will be 70 in August and love to hear them say "Really?  I don't believe it."  I stay active (tried to retire for two years only to find that it was not for me).  I have hobbies that keep me active and I ballroom dance, I participate in the handbell choir at my church while working at a part-time job.

I do not have any health problems, am not on any medication, and my mind is alert.  I am finding that people I know in their 50s have been dying and those in the early 60's as well and I ask myself "Why am I still around?  Why am I so healthy, and why have I aged so well?  I read an article once that showed a study of why people look young for their age.  It stated that humor, positive attitude, exercise, and being active are the key ingredients.

I don't mind being 70 soon.  I embrace it 

Dale Madson

Well said.

Dale C. Madson

Karen Holby (Fornell)

Thank you Judi for sharing this letter.   Lucky are we all who will be turning 70!  Karen

Paula Massey

Thanks for the article. It was long but very encompassing. I'm not quite there yet but already experience some of what's described. But I am doing pretty well and have much to be glad for.  Paula Massey

Sherwin "Jay" Siegall

Thank you Judy! That's a fabulous piece!

KAREN:

You are so right "lucky are we who are turning 70" I tear up looking at the "in Memoriam" section of our class, wondering why they are gone and feeling so fortunate for myself and the rest of us who are blessed with life and in most cases very good lives!

Alison Van Swearingen (Brown)

I will add my two cents worth too.  Mr. Epstein's piece on looking at life through all stages, places, angles and everything in between was a wonderful read.  Judi, thank you so much for sharing.  All of us can identify with his words in one way or another.  This is the kind of essay that warrants a few more "take the time to read" periods.  Yes, the big "7-oh" is staring us in the face but what really matters is how you feel inside.

Ruth Gross

Read it with great interest, and then sent it to three of my soulmates who are near or have just turned 70.  It's a wonderful piece.  Thanks, Judi.

Gale Glassner (Twersky)

Thanks from me too. The article had such depth and width too. I will pass it along also. 

Stephen Bruhn

I recently turned 70 and read Epstein's article with great interest.  He articulated all my feelings and thoughts with great accuracy.  I felt that all the thgoughts and emotions I was feeling were unique to me.  Now I know they are not and actually somewhat universal.  Thanks for posting this!

Nancy Schroeder

I loved reading the article. It had so many truths to it . I started at Eastern Airlines in 1965 and got the travel bug from the beginning. Now that I turned 70 on Jan 24 2016, i have not stopped. I spent 10 days in the Galapagos islands. It was a strenuous trip and glad I did it. My point is I want to see the world and am doing everything I can to see it, the people and all the adventures that go along with it. I am lucky I travel with my best friend who is a youngster  at 68. I have known her since 1967 at Eastern Airlines.  I am also fortunate that I have good health and love what I do. I wear glasses hearing aids, and forget things and names but i still get around very well. I walk 2.5 miles everyday while I read a book. Been doing that for over 40 years and have not fallen once. I have a loving family and see them often since they are all over the continent.I do go slower than when I was 50, but this all comes with the aging process. It is part of life. I also believe the glass is 1/2 full. Enjoy your life is my motto.

May all of you do what you want to do on your bucket list and enjoy your remaining years in a good frame of mind and good health. Here is to turning 70.

Susan Spiegel (Pastin)

Well put!​

Marilyn Golan (Bogan)

Thanks for the article, Judi.  June 30 I will be retiring from a position I've held for 23 years.  The first response when people hear this is "Congratulations!" - and then "What will we/they do without you.  No one can replace you."  Then I tell them I'll be 70 in October, which they can't believe.  It's nice to have that comment, but is that really important?  Then I tell them that my husband retired a year ago and I want to do this WHILE WE ARE BOTH STILL WELL.  Then they really get it.  We all know so many who are ill or have died - everyone gets this.  Of course the important word here is "Still,"  indicating that being well has an unknown time limit for each of us.  Now we ask each other, "Are you still working?"  "Still skiing/running/etc."  We ask older people, "Are you still driving?"  I recognize that I am not moving as quickly, that I go carefully up and down stairs, that if I am sitting on the floor with my grandchildren, it is not so easy to get up.  I am consciously grateful for each day of health and that I am STILL!

Marty Campbell

dear Judith.  thank you for your own heart story of your father gifting you this article!  i personally don't honestly prefer Epstein's writing, but deeply appreciate your story and the 15 responces—in this 1 week—your posting spawned among our classmates.  in particular, thank you too, Janet, Jay, Nancy, and now Marilyn.  Don't hardly know any of you personally* from then or now, except right here in here!  And this (writing) right here, and this site that houses us, makes me proud of the school we went to.

*except Janet, from Orrington School, 60 years ago, yes?

Ruth Gross

Marilyn,

Your response touched a nerve because it is so accurate.  As we age, it feels as if we are walking through a minefield and know that somewhere that explosion that will change the future for us is waiting. It is important to focus on the "still" and be grateful for it.  Sometimes, that's not so easy, but it is important to try.

Jacqueline Clare (Louis)

Judi,thank you for sharing the article. I agree with others in saying how blessed you are to still have your father to pass on this article. I also feel that we are all blessed if we are here reading this page. So many of our classmates will ever get to celebrate this approaching mile stone. Macy, I am so lad you and many others are still enjoying their passions. I have had the opportunity to rediscover my love of art and helping others through volunteer work. I am loving life and family and plan to as long as I am on this side. Active and passionate. You know what they say 70 is the new 50. Love and light to everyone getting to celebrate 70

Karen Holby (Fornell)

Jackie love your response "70 is the new 50" Happy to hear all is well with you. ♥️ Karen

Robert Lindner

It's already February, but I see lamantations on 70 years of existance. I sent this out to our ETHS monthly meeting group on the first of 2016. Happy to be here -- This Happy New Year

Robert Lindner

PS- I went back to work to save the world from HIV/AIDS -- coordinating research projects at NU designed to prevent HIV infections.

Happy New Year Two Thousand Sixteen

Two thousand sixteen is finally here.

It’s both a leap and an election year.

Two thousand fifteen is finally past.

It had ups and downs, but now it’s just last

Year and a New Year has arrived with fears

And promises, as have all other years

In my memory, which are seventy

This New Year, and photographs surround me

To remember age seven, seventeen,

And other years that mark what I have seen,

And who I have seen it with, some are gone,

Some older, but still here, and I am drawn

To their faces and their stories that entwine

With the memories of these years of mine,

A summer here, a winter there, between

The spring and fall of places I have been,

But now, two thousand sixteen, I am here,

To wish all of you, A Happy New Year!

Happy New Year,

Robert

Fred Brostoff

Mark Goodman saw this signpost in the retail district of the French side of the island of St. Martin, and he was surprised that Evanston was so well known in the Caribbean.

Sherwin "Jay" Siegall

LIKE, LIKE!

Rosanne Bass (Keynan)

Fun!

Dale Madson

Pretty cool.... carrie on.

DCM

Kathy Dalgety (Miehls)

Who knew? We're in good company, too.

Jacqueline Clare (Louis)

I was there in December. Wish I would have gone into this store. I was on the French side too.  So fun 

Vernon Neece (Neece)

Makes wonder which Evanstonian they know/knew in St Martin.