Taking away the car keys

Once I took my mom’s automobile keys away, she cursed at me. I would by no means heard my candy, churchgoing mother use language like that in my life, however she could not settle for that at 85, her fading imaginative and prescient, listening to, and reminiscence made her unsafe at any velocity. I used to be reminded of the day Mother adopted me to the door, shouting “Give me these #@ $&%! keys again,” when Joe Biden spent a number of weeks insisting in opposition to all proof that he was match to serve 4 extra years. Giving up essentially the most highly effective and prestigious job on this planet, clearly, is extra painful than dropping entry to the Camry. However the denial and the anger are essentially the identical. Getting previous, I’ve discovered, calls for a succession of surrenders. You may settle for these losses with some grace and rueful resignation — or go to struggle with the inevitable. Professional tip: You may’t win. 

I am nonetheless greater than a decade from Biden’s stage of life, but when I placed on my glasses, I can see the form of it on the horizon. Behind me, the trail is lengthy and affected by losses massive and small. Joints worn out from years of working, basketball, softball, and typing take turns complaining, and the mirror reveals a graying previous man I typically don’t acknowledge. Too many family members and buddies are gone. Final 12 months, after 22 years as editor-in-chief of this journal, I stepped down from full-time work so I may have extra time to journey, to get pleasure from our new house in our new group, to kayak and cycle and stroll and play extra, to savor the passing days and sunsets over the river. Thankfully, I nonetheless get to proceed to contribute to this high-quality journal. It is labored out as I hoped, however the surrenders proceed. The perfect technique, it seems, is to just accept them and fall again behind a brand new line of protection, and put together for the following assault. I understand how you’re feeling, Mr. President. After they come for my automobile keys, I believe I, too, will curse.

That is the editor’s letter within the present challenge of The Week journal.