On August 9, 2009 George Brown of Brownlane Farms Ltd, Harvey Station,New Brunswick celebrated his 95th birthday! That means he was born in the summer of 1914! I caught up with George by phone two days later on August 11. He told me that he was still "heavy into the hay" and had done a lot of mowing and raking in a challenging summer for putting up hay. He also told me with his customary modesty that a crew of 70 people had attended a little get-together to mark his 95th birthday.
About the same time I had a cyber-chat with a US Jersey personage who had a birthday the same weekend as George. This person was born 69 years after George so was "only 26"!
George told me a little story that took place three decades ago when he was homing in on 65. A well-meaning minister came to visit the Browns. He remarked on the fact that George was at the age when folks traditionally settled into their retirement years. George's quick retort was: "Retirement.....I do not want to hear that word!!!"
The path that George has chosen for the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth decades of his life is not one everyone would have chosen. Nonetheless the way he has spent the last three decades of his life and the six and a half that preceded them have given him a lot to enjoy. He has much to be thankful for and has had a few million great experiences. He's been blessed with terrific physical and mental health and agility that others have not enjoyed. I hope and trust that when he looks back over life his regrets are few and his smiles are many.
His life is an extraordinary example of remaining engaged and vital and up and about and doing! For those of us many decades younger his determination is a stimulating lesson in living! Perhaps not for everyoen but just right for him! Happy 95th George!
What a wonderful life when one can communicate with a range of keen Jersey people-sometimes more than seven decades apart in age!
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