In this past year, my 92-year-old mother has declined substantially.

On the one hand, I’d like to blame it on the Covid environment. And, certainly, Covid did us few favors. But in all honesty, at 92 years of age, your body is subject to being a little worn out.

Yet in the past year we’ve had these wonderful moments. Even as she gave up driving, she exchanged it for car rides with others. One of my favorite times was an afternoon where we drove around to some of the different places she had lived or where her children had lived.

Each place was like a library. Each place represented chapters of the story. And you could almost see her mind scrolling through the pages with pictures—moments held dear. Moments of the ordinary.

I thought I was doing her a favor taking her on this stroll down memory lane. But I found myself misty-eyed as we drove and talked. I was doing us a favor.

I’ve heard it said that when an old person dies a library burns.

I think I understand what they mean a little better now.

Photo by Darwin Vegher on Unsplash

Bill High

Bill is CEO & Founder of Vyne Legacy. He works with families to equip them with tools to build multigenerational legacies, and he teaches givers and financial advisers on transformational biblical generosity. He is the co-author with David Green of Giving It All Away and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously.

Published July 13, 2021

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