Blog 3641 – 10.22.2026
“I’m Still Here, Chief!”
In one of the best father/son movies ever, Frequency, Dennis Quaid, who plays the dad, has a great line near the end of the movie where he says to his son, “I’m still here, Chief!” One of the greatest gifts that we can give to those we love and who love us is to take care of ourselves and to stick around for as long as possible. One month from today, I will celebrate a milestone that neither my father nor his before him ever achieved, I will be seventy-five. That is a a pretty good run that I hope to extend into extra-innings for several more years.
I have lived long enough to see my son, who was born the year I turned forty, become a father, and long enough to see and hold my two-year old granddaughter and to hear her call me Poppa. I have out-lived my grandparents, parents, most of my aunts and uncles, over half of my first cousins, and many friends and classmates. I am reminded of a quote from a one hundred and sixteen year old man who when asked the secret of his longevity replied, “Making new and younger friends so that you never run out of friends.”
If I live to one hundred and beyond it will be because I want to stick around for my son, my granddaughter and hopefully another grandchild or two and as the song made famous by Beatle Ringo Starr says, “With a little help from my friends.”
Your friend and fellow traveler,
David James White
With A Little Help From My Friends (Remastered 2009)
theencouragingword 