I stole this phrase today, from an email. The email is from my CSA, a weekly update from the local farm. Eagles, she says, have the ability to fly above storms.

I want that, don't you? Let the petty fall away, rise above the storm, adjust your wings and soar. Watch the storm's fury from above.

Clinic keeps me young. At least, I feel young in clinic, because my patients are older. Some a little older and some a lot. The eldest is my first male patient to reach 100. I have been his doctor for seven years. He's looking a little frail now. Five years ago he was still haying, in his 90s. This summer he fell pulling rhubarb. He has children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. He doesn't flirt with me now because his children bring him in. I think he fears they would disapprove.

I love patients in their 90s and 100s. It is freeing. At one point I had five women over 100, and two of those were 104, both living independently. I see them in clinic and ask how they are. I tell them the guidelines and what the book says. They laugh or shrug. "I'm not doing that." I grin. Who am I to tell a centenarian what to do? They should be instructing me.

And they do. They watch the world. They are all stubborn. They all laugh at me and at you. Either passing 90 makes you stubborn or you have to be stubborn to get there. They have the ability to fly above storms.

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